


Four of a Kind

by generaldisdain, happycap77



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Kristanna, Masturbation, Mutual Pining, Reconciliation, Roommates, Rough Sex, Sex, Sexual Tension, Smut, Vaginal Sex, argument, human!Sven, lots of shenanigans, mentions of past adultery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:27:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 27,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24496444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/generaldisdain/pseuds/generaldisdain, https://archiveofourown.org/users/happycap77/pseuds/happycap77
Summary: After accepting a job as the head of marketing for a local animal shelter, Anna finds herself in a new city in need of a place to live. Luckily, 3 guys know just the place.Roughly inspired by the show New Girl with all of the drama and wacky hijinks that the characters get up to
Relationships: Anna/Kristoff (Disney)
Comments: 55
Kudos: 86





	1. New Girl

Apartment 4D. The listing boasted a fully furnished living space, 3 kind flatmates, and rooftop access. The attached pictures showed a lovely full kitchen, a clean common area, and a cozy -- if slightly cramped -- bedroom. Anna knew they could have been lying about a few of the apartment's assets just to suck someone else in to help with the rent, which was exactly why she wanted to check the place out before making any sort of commitment. She gently knocked on the door, tentatively making her presence known to her potential future flatmates. 

The door swung open after only a few seconds. Anna’s hand was left hovering in the air mid-knock. The man before her leaned against the door frame, a wide smile on his face. His hair was lustrous and thick. It was sculpted neatly into twists at the top of his head that faded tastefully the further down she looked. Anna withdrew her hand from the door and pulled her bag up on her shoulder in an attempt to straighten herself out. She wanted to make a good impression. She needed to if she wanted to live here, and since she was new to the area, she didn't really have a lot of options.

“You must be Anna! I’m Sven. It’s really great to meet you,” Sven offered a hand and Anna graciously took it, nerves already starting to settle with the warm greeting. 

“It’s nice to meet you too! Thanks for letting me take a look at the place.” The compliment was genuine. She couldn’t believe how many people were unwilling to make time for her to look around the place before signing a lease or without acting like she was a nuisance. 

“No problem! Come on in.” Sven pushed the door open and led Anna inside. 

The apartment looked just like it did in the pictures: relatively tidy, up-to-date, and fully furnished, as promised. The main living area off of the entrance did seem to scream “three men live here”, what with the empty beer cans on the coffee table and the haphazardly placed pillows and blankets; but overall, Anna found herself thinking that the place had a lovely charm to it.

“This is our living room, and over here is the kitchen,” Sven began, motioning Anna over to the right of the room. 

A tall man rounded the corner, almost barrelling into Anna and Sven. He towered over them both -- well, her far more than Sven. He had a wide, sturdy-looking frame that gave him an imposing aura. Anna took a small step back to avoid colliding with the guy. He seemed much more interested in the pudding cup he was eating than looking where he was going.

“Oh, Kristoff,” Sven said, motioning to the man before them and then to Anna. She suddenly felt dwarfed between the two of them. “This is Anna. She’s here to check out the apartment. She might become our 4th roommate!”

“Anna?” Kristoff repeated. The way he said her name gave off the impression that he didn’t know she was coming. 

Anna offered him her hand and straightened her posture in a pitiful attempt to look at least a little taller. “It’s nice to meet you!”

The guy, who Anna now knew was named Kristoff, didn't respond. He turned a cool gaze to Sven, one single eyebrow raised and spoon nestled into his pudding cup. “You never said she was a girl.”

So he definitely didn’t know she was coming- or that she was even a she.

“I didn’t think I had to. What are you, some kind of sexist or something?” Sven teased.

Anna could tell Sven was joking, but that didn’t stop her from feeling uncomfortable. She suddenly felt so out of place. Sven obviously hadn’t told the others she was coming. What if he thought they wouldn’t like her? Or what if he was only letting her see the apartment to be nice?

“God, Sven, no, I just -- ugh, never mind.” Kristoff, despite the cool aura he gave off, seemed almost as flustered as she did. He waved a hand dismissively and sauntered over to the couch.

“Just ignore him -- he gets grumpy sometimes,” Sven chuckled, placing a comforting hand on Anna’s shoulder.

“It's because of you!” Kristoff called from the couch.

“I can live with that!” Sven countered. 

“Oh, are you the one here to check out the place?” Another voice came from the kitchen. Anna followed Sven into the space. A younger-looking man sat at the island with a vibrant smile on his face. He had messy black hair, light brown skin, and brilliant blue eyes that emphasized the brightness of his smile. He got up from his seat and offered his hand to Anna. 

Anna nodded and smiled, shaking his hand comfortably. “Yep, I am!”

“That’s great! I’m Ryder.”

“I’m Anna,” she replied.

“That’s such a pretty name!” She had only known him for a few mere moments, and she could already tell that he had so much excitement and positive energy to offer.

“Thank you so much!” Anna was grateful for Sven and Ryder’s friendliness but was secretly shocked at the difference between their demeanors and Kristoff’s. She wondered how their dynamic functioned-- _if_ it functioned.

“Yeah, Ryder’s great. He’s got SO many plants in his room,” Sven said to Anna.

“Sven!” Ryder said nervously, as though he were embarrassed to have that information revealed. 

“You’re right, I’m sorry, I said I wouldn’t overshare.”

“Well, I mean if it’s all the same to you, I might as well tell her about what happened in the room she’ll be sleeping--”

“Ryder Naturra!” Sven barked before turning to smile at Anna. “Ignore him. He’s just being stupid.” He looked back at Ryder, eyes wide, and cocked his head in a gesture that seemed to command Ryder to walk away, but not without an ear-to-ear grin.

Before Anna was able to think about what just happened, Sven asked her a question. “So, how comfortable are you living with three other dudes?”

“Well…” Anna really had to think about her answer. She wanted to say that she was totally comfortable, but she only had her sister to grow up with, so she didn’t know the ins and outs of sharing a living space with one man, let alone three. “...I don’t really see how it could be much different from living with three other girls, so…”

“Okay, so three other people, then,” Sven said as he led Anna toward one of the two bathrooms. “You’d be sharing a bathroom with Ryder, by the way. Lots of plants in there too. Truly don’t know how he keeps them all alive.”

Anna smiled at Sven’s remark. “Well, three other people is a lot, but I like people, so I figured, why not go for it?” she answered as she peered into the bathroom. “Ooh, I really like the shower! It’s got the detachable shower head and everything!”

“Yeah, it’s cool, right?” Sven said, walking past the bathroom and toward a door at the end of the hall. “So this way is your potential bedroom,” he continued. He grabbed the doorknob, paused, and turned around to face Anna. “You have a bed you can bring, right?”

Anna’s face drained of color. “I _what_?”

“I’m just kidding,” Sven said with a smile, waving a hand and turning the doorknob.

Anna let out a heavy sigh. “Oh my god, you really scared me for a second.”

“Okay, but for real, you’ll be getting a bed and a desk. Oh, and a closet.” 

Anna walked past Sven into the room and stood in the middle of it. It was modest, to be sure, with a full-sized bed in one corner and a desk in the other, a pair of sliding doors that Anna guessed was the closet, and a big window with wooden blinds. There were off-white marks on the wall where something had been painted over, but otherwise, the room was spotless.

“Yeah, I could definitely make this work,” Anna said. “But what’s wrong with it?”

“What’s wrong with what?” Sven asked.

“This room. Ryder said something happened in here,” Anna replied, trying her best not to sound accusatory.

“Oh, right. Nah, we were just kidding around. We, uh, we planned that little exchange, he thought it would be funny.”

“Oh okay, well that’s a relief,” Anna said. “I was worried there would be, like, a colony of rats in the closet or something,” she continued as she walked to the closet and slid the door open. “Yeah, I could definitely make this work.” She turned to Sven. “When can I move in?”

Sven was taken aback. “Really?”

“Yeah! You guys seem nice, and this is honestly an ideal location for me, so I don’t really see any reason to hesitate,” Anna continued as she walked out of the room and into the common area.

“Woah woah woah, not so fast,” Sven said, presenting his palm to her. He turned around and shouted back towards the main living room. “Men, assemble!” Ryder poked his head out from his room and Kristoff reluctantly stood up from the sofa. 

“Now, I like you,” Sven said, turning back to Anna, “but I need to check if these two children will be okay with you moving in.” Oh, right. Anna had forgotten about Kristoff and his broody...broodiness.

“So!” Sven clapped his hands together, and Kristoff and Ryder stood next to him, almost as if they had rehearsed whatever it was they were about to do. “We’re going to go in there and deliberate a bit, and then we’ll come out and let you know, okay?”

Normally something like this would make Anna incredibly anxious, but Sven was smiling at her so sweetly that she couldn’t possibly protest. The guys left her alone, and she made her way to the living room couch. She began nervously picking at a string on one of the worn cushions. 

It wasn’t the thought of living with three guys that worried her. It was the thought of how three guys would view living with a girl that made her anxious. Would she be encroaching on their “guy time”? Would she even fit into their odd dynamic? They were the ones that advertised their space, but she still couldn’t shake the feeling that she was intruding. It certainly seemed like Kristoff didn’t want her there, and while Sven and Ryder seemed nice enough, she wouldn’t be surprised if they were just pretending to deliberate to spare her feelings. She shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind. There was no use jumping to some crazy conclusion that was only spurred on by her own insecurities. 

“Anna?”

She looked up with a start at the sound of her name being called. The voice was warm and strong- one she immediately recognized as Sven’s, despite having only known him for a few moments. 

“We’d really love to have you as a roommate. You can come by to sign the lease as early as tomorrow if you want.”

Anna couldn’t stop the wide smile that broke out on her face. Ryder and Sven seemed thrilled as they exchanged contact information and pleasantries with her. Even Kristoff’s face softened for a moment when she told him how excited she was to be living there.

She could tell that this was going to be the start of something wonderful, or, at the very least, something incredibly interesting.


	2. Moving day

Of course the one day Anna picked to move into her new place was absolutely sweltering. The sun mercilessly beat down on her back as she tried to balance a lamp under one arm and a slew of binders and folders under the other. She was kicking herself for turning down Sven’s offer to help her move in. She didn’t want to be a burden on him, which was why she turned him down in the first place, but did she just end up looking like she was full of herself for insisting she could handle it? 

Anna brushed the thoughts aside as she made her way back into the complex with the items under her arms. Her room was finally starting to look more like  _ her _ room. She had brought in her special keepsakes and trinkets, art supplies, favorite chair, and some tasteful wall decor. Now all she needed was to grab her dresser and she’d be good to go. 

_ Shit. The dresser. _

Anna looked around her room. She had already struggled enough with the rest of her stuff. How the hell was she supposed to lug a dresser up here all by herself? 

She heard the door unlock and open and close ceremoniously from the front room.  _ Oh thank god.  _ Sven was home. She could take him up on his offer to help. She exited her room and happily made her way to rendezvous with him. 

“Sven, I’m so glad you’re back. I know I said I didn’t need help but I-” She stopped in her tracks, words faltering and steps skidding to a halt as she rounded the corner. It was Kristoff. That definitely wasn’t who she was expecting. “Oh, it’s you.” She tried her best not to sound disappointed, but in truth, she was. Since touring the apartment, she had messaged Ryder about bathroom arrangements and had met up with Sven at a cafe to sign the lease, but Kristoff? This was the first time she’d spoken to him since then, and his height, stiff posture, and stoic expression didn’t help her feel any more comfortable than when she first met him. 

He placed his keys down at the table by the front entrance and shrugged off his jacket as he turned to her. “Sorry, I’m definitely not Sven,” he said. His lips turned up in what seemed to be a slight smirk. She’d take it.

“Yeah, I can see that,” she chuckled.

“Did you need help or something though? Sven told me you’d be moving in today.”

Anna hadn’t expected that. The king of the cold shoulder offering to help? Maybe she had misjudged him. “That would actually be amazing. I just need to get my dresser and then I’ll be done. That thing is way too heavy for me. I mean, my lamps and bedsheets were fine. Even my craft box was okay to get up here, and I have so much junk in there. I used to have more, but I gave a lot of stuff away because, you know, fresh start and all. But everything was pretty manageable to get up here. Let me tell you though- those stairs up to the complex? Whew! Absolutely brutal.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you talk a lot?”

Normally she would take a comment like that as an insult, but the smile on his face implied it was intended to be anything but. Even still, the kind sparkle in his eyes didn’t stop the guilt from creeping up her sides. “Sorry, yeah.” She laughed in spite of herself, trying to be good-humored about the whole thing. “I’m working on it.”

His face immediately fell. “Oh, um, no, I, uh,” he paused to clear his throat. A sheepish hand made its way to the back of his neck. “I was just joking. Sorry. The guys and I- we pick on each other a lot and I don’t, I don’t think you talk a lot.”

Anna waved her hands in protest, cutting him off before he could apologize anymore. “No, no! It’s okay, really.” And it was. The last thing she wanted to do was be treated any differently or change the way the guys felt they could act in their own home. And besides, a part of her was beaming at the realization that he was already picking on her like one of the guys. 

“Okay.”

Kristoff’s eyes met hers and they both smiled, sharing in some sort of mutual understanding that they were both a little awkward and that was okay. His features had softened a bit, and for the first time she was able to take in the soft stubble on his chin, the curve of his jaw, and the gentle warmth in his eyes. 

“I, uh-” Kristoff cleared his throat again. “Do you want to go get your dresser?”

Anna was suddenly sent back to reality. She straightened herself up and nodded. “Yes! Let’s go.” She made her way to the front door, Kristoff close behind her. 

Their ride down in the elevator was relatively quiet, but the silence wasn’t awkward. Rather, it was peaceful, almost comforting in its stillness. She still felt nervous around Kristoff. After all, she hardly knew the guy. But his offering to help and the soft hesitancy with which he spoke were signs that pointed to him being a much sweeter guy than she had originally thought. Maybe he was a secret softy and Sven and Ryder were the real tough ones. She laughed at the thought.

“What’s so funny?” Kristoff asked as the elevator doors opened and they made their way out of the apartment building and over to Anna’s car. 

“I was just wondering if maybe you were secretly a sweet guy and Sven and Ryder were the tough, scary ones.” She surprised herself with the boldness of her joke, but his first joke to her was about her tendency to ramble, so she figured she deserved to settle the score at least a little bit.

Kristoff scoffed. “You think I’m scary? Wait until you see Sven the morning after a night out.” 

Anna giggled, finding a sort of rhythm in their conversation. 

“This is my car,” she announced, popping open the trunk to reveal the aforementioned dresser.

“Of course it is,” he said with another smirk. She was starting to think this would be a habit with him. 

“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked, hands on her hips in mock frustration.

“Nothing- you just seem like the kind of girl that drives a hybrid.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” She twirled her keychain on her finger. “Now, are you going to help me get this stupid thing up to the apartment or are you just going to sit here and tell me that I ‘seem like a hybrid girl,’” she used air quotes to emphasize his phrase and rolled her eyes, smiling all the same. 

“Alright,” he replied, his hands up as if to let her know he was done. Kristoff made his way over to the trunk and examined the dresser. 

Anna opened her mouth to offer a suggestion about how to get it inside but immediately closed it without uttering a sound.

Kristoff had squatted to get some leverage and heaved the dresser up and out of her trunk. He placed it down on the pavement with a thud.

She couldn’t help but notice the way his jeans hugged his ass when he squatted down, the way his muscles moved and shifted to allow him to lift something so bulky.

“Wow, you’re really strong,” she found herself saying. 

Kristoff laughed again. “Thanks. I do construction for a living, so I kinda have to be.”

_ Oh. _ Something about the thought of Kristoff lifting and carrying stuff around all day struck her as incredibly intriguing. Maybe sexy was a better word to describe it. 

She offered to help him with the dresser, but he insisted on doing it himself. She couldn’t help but stare at the sheer strength of his arms and his back and his legs. He was a big dude, and she couldn’t say she was surprised he was strong, but how could she have possibly missed just how good he looked?

Anna shook the thought out of her head. It was her first day in the apartment. She wasn’t going to start ogling her flatmates. 

Kristoff placed the dresser in the main entryway and wiped at his brow, now glistening with sweat. “Do you think you got it from here?”

Anna laughed but Kristoff just cocked an eyebrow at her. “Oh, you were serious.”

Kristoff didn’t say anything, just looked at the dresser and then back at her. He bit at his lip and she noticed his foot tapping impatiently. Why did he seem so nervous all of a sudden? Before she could dwell on the thought much longer, he replied. “Yeah, no, you’re right. I got it. Just show me where you want it in your room.”

Anna led him to a spot that she had picked out in a corner of her room. It fit perfectly. She turned to him and clapped her hands together. “Thank you so much, Kristoff. Really. This was such a huge help, you have no idea.” Her face fell a bit as she regarded him. He didn’t seem smug or confident like he had earlier. He was glancing around at the walls, foot still tapping and arms crossed over his chest protectively.

“Yeah, don’t mention it,” he replied simply before backing out of the room with what seemed like urgency.

Anna shrugged it off and sat down to unpack her things. At the very least he didn’t seem to completely hate her like she feared he would.

***

Anna had settled comfortably into her room. Her books and trinkets had been arranged on a small shelf. Her desk drawers were packed with her craft supplies, and her walls had a few tasteful posters and pictures on them. It was starting to feel homey. 

Sven had gotten home a while ago, as had Ryder. From what she could hear in the kitchen, Sven was singing and cooking, and every once in a while she could hear either Ryder or Kristoff laugh. 

Despite her positive interactions with both Ryder and Sven, and now even Kristoff, she was still new to the apartment, and she had no idea where she would possibly fit in. Would it be polite to go out and try to hang out with them, or would that seem too pushy? She bit at her thumb as she contemplated her options. A knock at her door ended up deciding for her.

She opened the door, and much like her first meeting with him, Sven was leaning against the door frame, maintaining his suave, casual demeanor. “Knock knock,” he said as he craned his neck over Anna’s shoulder to investigate the room.  “Oh this is cute! Much better than the last guy. His room was always disgusting.” Sven shuddered as if remembering the room’s previous state.

“Oh, thanks!”

“Did you want to join us for dinner? Not to brag or anything, but I’m like, kind of an amazing cook.”

“Oh my god, shut up!” Anna heard from the kitchen. 

Anna giggled and agreed, allowing herself to be led into the kitchen on Sven’s arm. 

As soon as she entered the kitchen, she gasped. Candles were lit at a dinner table she hadn’t even noticed until now. Everything smelled delicious, and her mouth watered as she caught sight of a large bowl of pasta on the island. Someone had placed a large bouquet of flowers in a vase on the table, and a piece of what looked like regular printer paper had “Welcome, Anna!” scrawled across it.

“I don’t know what to say,” she breathed, her mouth hanging agape in disbelief. Here she was, pacing her room trying to figure out whether or not to join them when they had been making a special dinner for her. “Thank you, guys. Wow, just, thank you so much, I-”

“No need to thank us,” Sven interrupted. “Just sit down, relax, and enjoy the delicious food prepared by yours truly,” he said, gesturing to himself. “Now you know that one of the perks of living here is that you have an amazing live-in chef.” 

Anna laughed at his exaggerated tone. He was clearly playing it up for laughs, but even just the smell of the food proved he knew what he was doing.

“I swear to god, Sven, if you say one more thing about how good of a cook you are, I promise, I will punch you in the face,” Kristoff sighed, rubbing at his temples.

“You’re only mad because it’s true,” Sven teased. “You three would go hungry without me!”

“Sven, you boiled noodles from a fucking box. I think we would manage,” Kristoff retorted.

“These may be from a box, but they are boiled with love!” Sven declared, gesturing dramatically to the bowl of pasta, still sitting untouched on the island. 

“Uh, guys, can we eat?” Ryder piped, voice low and hesitant. Anna had almost forgotten he was there.

“Yes, yes, of course.” Sven cleared his throat and held up his glass. He slung an arm across her shoulders. “Anna, welcome to Apartment 4D.”

Anna looked at the faces around her. Ryder’s smile almost took up his entire face, it was positively infectious. Sven proudly held his glass in a toast, and the arm thrown over her shoulder made her feel warm and welcome. Kristoff smiled a soft, easy smile at her, his posture relaxed and his eyes warm. She didn’t even remember she was nervous just five minutes ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (There's a lot going on in the world right now, and if you've been feeling lost or helpless, here is a list of ways you can help make a difference: https://www.thecut.com/article/george-floyd-protests-how-to-help-where-to-donate.html)


	3. Game night

_“You’re cheating.”_

Kristoff was staring at nothing, lost in a memory. 

_“Kristoff, I’m your friend.”_

He would never forget those words.

“Kristoff!” he heard, accompanied by a snap. Suddenly he was back in the present.

“Uh, what?”

“Ryder accused me of cheating, back me up here, bud!” Sven said. “I would never cheat against my three favorite people in the entire world.”

“You absolutely would,” Kristoff responded without missing a beat. 

“See?” Ryder said to Sven. “Seems like I’m Kristoff’s _better_ friend.”

“Impossible, I refuse to believe it,” Sven said in an exaggerated French accent.

“Actually,” Anna interjected, “I saw you taking money out of the bank.”

“Wha-a-a-at? No-o-o-o!” Sven denied emphatically.

“Sven, come on,” Ryder said. “How is it that you have just as much money as when we started but you have six properties?”

“Yeah, alright, fine,” Sven conceded. He began to return the money he stole, mumbling curses under his breath.

“Okay, Anna, your turn,” Ryder said.

This was surreal to Anna. She had only known these guys for three days, but she was eight rounds deep in a game of Monopoly with them tonight. She had great first impressions with Sven and Ryder, and a half-decent second impression with Kristoff who, to her, was the easiest of the three of them to look at. With every passing moment, she was even more sure she made the right decision by moving in with them.

“Okay, I’ll remember to roll _both_ dice this time,” Anna said with unwavering confidence. “Woo-hoo, ten!” she yelled. She picked up the little chrome terrier and tapped it on every space in front of it. “One, two, three, four…”

Kristoff rubbed his face. “Anna, I told you, there are ten spaces on every side, you don’t have to-“ He was abruptly cut off by Sven slapping his knee.

“Let her!” Sven hissed, enunciating each word separately. Kristoff raised his hands.

“Alright, if you all are okay with not sleeping tonight…”

“Look, I got there eventually, right?” Anna said as she placed her token on the B & O Railroad. “Does anyone have this?”

“Nope,” Ryder said. “It’s all yours.”

“Nice!” She looked closely at the space on the board. “It’s 200 dollars, right?”

“All railroads are 200 dollars,” Kristoff complained.

“Okay, well, I didn’t know.” She gathered up the money and handed it to Sven. “B & O Railroad, ple-e-ease.”

“My pleasure,” Sven responded. “By the way, since you own two railroads now, the rent for both is 50 dollars.”

“She knows,” Kristoff said.

“Actually,” Anna interjected, “I didn’t know. Thank you, Sven.” 

Sven responded with a little flourish.

“But we told you at the beginning of the game,” Kristoff countered

“Oh, you did?” Anna said sheepishly. “I’m sorry, I-”

“Anna, you have to pay attention if we’re gonna play games with you.”

“Okay, but I’ve never played this before,” Anna reasoned.

“How have you never played Monopoly?”

“Come on, Kristoff,” Ryder said, “can’t you be patient?”

“Why is everyone mad at _me_ now?” Kristoff asked. 

Sven butted in to try to ease the tension. “No one’s mad at you, Kris.”

Kristoff turned to Sven. “You hit me, like, thirty seconds ago!”

“Because you were being a baby!”

“I told you guys we should’ve played Sorry,” Ryder said, crossing his arms and pouting his lips, clearly upset that “loft game night,” as Sven called it, was turning into an argument. 

“Look, Monopoly is a high stakes game, I understand why some of us-” Sven began, turning his gaze to Kristoff. “-are stressed.”

“I’m not stressed,” Kristoff grumbled under his breath. 

Anna glanced at him and took in his hunched over posture and crossed arms, wondering if he was just playing it up for laughs or if he was really bothered by this whole thing. 

“Let’s just start over,” Sven suggested.

Anna, Ryder, and Kristoff simultaneously let out noises of protest.

“I _meant_ ,” Sven said, raising a hand to silence his roommates. “Let’s just calm down and refresh, not start the whole game over. Geez.” Sven let out a small huff of frustration. “Now, where were we?”

“I think I’m buying the B & O Railroad,” Anna said.

Sven replied with an easy smile. “200 smackers, please.”

The rest of the game went smoothly. Kristoff still commented on how Anna counted every space for every turn, and she still fumbled with her bank money, but throughout the game, they laughed and poked fun at each other all the same. Still, Anna couldn’t shake the feeling that something was bothering Kristoff. Sven turned a sympathetic gaze to him every so often, only fueling her suspicion that something was up with him. Anna couldn’t help but feel like somehow it was her fault.

“Alright, I’m done,” Sven said, placing his money down on the board. They had to have been playing for at least an hour, and they were no closer to the end than they had been at the start. 

“Me too,” Ryder echoed. 

“Thank god,” Kristoff sighed dramatically, throwing his money down to mingle with Sven and Ryder’s on the middle of the board. “I was getting my ass handed to me.”

“Well, I guess that means Anna wins,” Sven said, turning to her.

“Wait, what?” Anna responded incredulously.

“You’re the only one who didn’t just throw your money down, so by all accounts, you’re our winner.”

Anna knew it was a shallow victory, but she still felt exhilarated not only to have won but also to have been included in their game night at all.

“Congrats, Anna!” Ryder said, earnestly. “I gotta turn in though. I have an early day tomorrow.” Ryder stood up and brushed himself off. “This was fun. Although not as fun as Sorry would have been, just saying.”

“Yeah, yeah, sleep tight, asshole,” Sven snorted, waving his hand at him dismissively. 

Ryder put his hands up in mock defeat and headed off to his room.

“I have to turn in too, actually,” Sven started, patting his knees and standing up. He stretched back and let out a satisfied grunt as his back cracked. “Kris, it’s your turn to clean up.”

“Yup, just like it is every game night, huh?”

“Naturally,” Sven countered, turning to walk to his room.

Kristoff rolled his eyes. Suddenly, it was just the two of them. It felt like the room had been pulled into silence. 

Kristoff began picking up the pieces, the crinkling of the paper money, and the clinking of the tiny game pieces the only sounds in the room.

Anna began to help, leaning forward and placing the money in stacks and folding up the game board. The silence was killing her. 

“Hey, I’m sorry about being bad at the game. I really hadn’t played it before tonight.”

Kristoff cleared his throat. “No, uh, don’t worry about it. Seriously. I’m sorry for being so...” He paused as if to mull over which word to use. “...grumpy.”

“You’re fine. If you’re grumpy enough, it starts to seem normal for you.”

“Oh, uh…” Kristoff didn’t want to be known to Anna as the grumpy one. “...I don’t mean to--I mean, I didn’t mean to-”

“Kristoff, seriously, don’t worry about it. Where do these go?” Anna asked, holding up the stack of property cards.

“In that slot there. I just…” Kristoff hadn’t tried to make her feel bad. He wasn’t a very patient person to begin with, but the unpleasant memory from the beginning of the evening had seeped into the rest of the night and put him on edge even more so than usual. He just felt like an asshole. He watched her shuffle the four piles of money together and begin to sort them into their colors. Of course, he thought Anna was cute, but it wasn’t until just now--noticing how her fiery red hair fell along the subtle curve of her back and waist, how the freckles on her nose and cheeks highlighted her pale skin and radiant blue eyes, and how her navy blue leggings left virtually nothing to the imagination--that he realized he found her so attractive it was borderline insensible. 

“...Yes?” Anna asked.

Kristoff snapped out of his daze. “Oh, right, uh...I just hope you know I’m not grumpy _all_ the time.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’re not!” Anna offered Kristoff a gentle smile. “Just most of the time.” Her sweet smile turned mischievous. 

Kristoff smiled and looked away. He didn’t want to be into a girl, let alone his roommate, so soon after his last relationship, but he was finding it hard to fight his feelings- the easy way she smiled at him, how she went out of her way to be nice to him despite his tendency to act standoffish. He missed being in a relationship, too. He brushed the thoughts aside. Despite his feelings, he wasn’t ready or willing to get into anything again anytime in the near future.

“Listen, you don’t have to be nice to me just because you’re new,” Kristoff said. He felt guilty for how nice she was being to him. He didn't want her to feel like she had to do that. 

Anna gave him a sideways look. “...Okay? Can I be nice to you anyway?”

“Well, yeah, but you don’t have to force it.”

“I’m not.”

“I know, but-”

“Do you think I’m not nice normally?”

“No, that’s not it, it’s just…”

“Just what?”

Kristoff paused. “...Nothing. I’m happy you’re nice to me.” He closed the game box and headed toward his room. “‘Night, Anna.”

“Oh, okay. Goodnight, Kristoff.” Anna picked up the box and returned it to its spot on the shelf, all the while gazing puzzledly at Kristoff’s ambling form until he entered his room and shut the door.

She still didn’t get him. Sven and Ryder were pretty easy to like and, from there, easy to become friends with. Kristoff, though, was a whole different story. He seemed to get along with Sven and Ryder just fine; at least, that’s what she gathered from her relatively short time living here. She just couldn’t figure out why he was so cold to her whenever the four of them were together but would warm up to her noticeably whenever it was only the two of them. Did he see her differently than he saw Sven and Ryder just because she’s a girl? Or did he just not know her well and didn’t know how to behave around her? She shook her head. She knew she was overthinking this. She decided she was just going to try to be as friendly as she could to him, regardless of how he treated her. 

After all, she couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like to sleep with him.

* * *

Kristoff was kicking himself for every moment of game night. First, he got lost in a bad memory, then he made Anna feel bad about taking her time to learn the game, then after the game, he ogled her (and there was no way Anna _didn’t_ notice that), and finally, he panicked and bailed on their conversation. Was it going to be this hard all the time to be around her? To balance his friendship with Sven and Ryder with his attraction to Anna? He decided it would be easier to just not try very hard when he was with her. He’d be nice, but not so nice that it seemed unnatural. It was more important that she felt comfortable rather than liked him specifically. 

Even after all that, as he laid in his bed that night, he couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like to sleep with her.


	4. Puppy Love

Kristoff was eating a bowl of cereal when his phone buzzed. It was the group chat: Loft Hoes. 

“Isn’t that like, demeaning to women or something?” Kristoff had asked the group after Sven brought up the name for their loft group chat. It had been “loft bros” for as long as he could remember, but Sven proposed the change after Anna was added to the chat. “Besides, I’m not even a hoe!”

“I’m a hoe!” Sven proudly announced.

“I love it,” Anna exclaimed. “Let’s do it.” And so the name stuck.

Anna had sent a message to the group. “Hey, I left my laptop at home and I need it for work. :(((( Can someone plz plz plz bring it to me? It should be on the kitchen counter.”

Kristoff sighed and typed out a response.

“I got it.”

“!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 Thank you!!!!!” was Anna’s reply.

“Absolute legend,” Sven sent.

Kristoff ate the rest of his cereal, grabbed her laptop bag, and headed out to her work.

Anna sent him the address. She worked at an animal shelter just a few minutes downtown, so it wasn’t out of the way or anything. He was actually excited to see what her office was like. Maybe he would even catch a glimpse of her at work. 

He walked in and was greeted by a gentle smile and a warm welcome from the receptionist.

“Can I help you?” she asked. 

“Hi, I just have something to drop off for Anna Arendelle.”

As soon as he said that, he heard his name being called. He looked up, and there was Anna, bounding down the steps that he assumed lead up to offices. She seemed so happy to see him. It made his heart swell.

“Oh my god, thank you! You’re such a lifesaver,” she cried, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him into a quick hug before grabbing the laptop from the table.

Kristoff was too shocked to do anything except melt into her just a bit. The hug was brief. He didn’t have time to hug her back, but he felt warmth and light for a moment before it quickly dissipated when she pulled away.

“Since you’re here, do you want to look around? We just got a new litter of puppies and they're so cute. You can see them if you want. I mean, only if you want to, I don’t want to force you or anything, especially if you have anything you need to do-”

“Calm down, feistypants,” he teased. “That sounds really nice.” 

A week or so ago he probably would have declined her offer. He would have made up some excuse as to why he couldn’t stick around and head back home. But since he stopped trying so hard with her, he’d grown to enjoy her presence. He genuinely wanted her to show him around. 

Anna grinned and bounced up on her toes. It was nice to see her in her element. At home she tended to second guess herself; seeing her here for the first time, she seemed more confident and self-assured than ever. He liked this side of her, he decided.

Anna headed into the main room and motioned for Kristoff to follow her. “Come on!”

She brought him out into a large room with little cages and pens where rescued cats sat and meowed at passersbys. 

“These are all of our cats and kittens that are ready for adoption, but we have plenty more who still need shots and assessments and all that good stuff before they’re ready to be out here on the floor,” Anna explained. She leaned down and wagged her finger between the bars of one of the enclosures. A tiny kitten swatted at her playfully. “This guy’s my favorite. Don’t tell the others,” she joked. 

Kristoff leaned down to take a look at the little kitten and smiled. He was sweet. His eyes were warm and friendly, with a hint of mischievous behind them. “I can see why you like him,” Kristoff agreed. 

Anna led him back through a door marked ‘Employees Only’. “It’s okay, you’re with me,” she said with a smile when she noticed his slight hesitation. She brought him into a small room, and he was immediately greeted with small yaps and barks. Nails skidded on the linoleum as the puppies ran to see who was at the door. 

“Hi, guys!” Anna cooed, getting down on her knees to pet the little babies. “These guys were found all alone in a box in the middle of a park. The mom never showed up, so we’ve been bottle feeding them and making sure they’re good and socialized, yes we have, yes we have!” she said, ruffling one of the puppies’ ears and speaking to it in a baby tone. 

He joined Anna on the floor and laughed as one of the tiny puppies scampered up into his lap. Their knees were touching, and Kristoff tried to convince himself that he didn’t feel something between them.

“That one likes you,” Anna decided as the puppy began to lick his face. 

Kristoff smiled at her statement and watched her as she threw a ball for the puppies. Her smile was radiant and her laugh sent a surge of warmth through his body.

At first, he thought she was only nice around him to secure her place in the loft. But he had soon come to realize that it wasn’t any sort of act. She was just a nice person. She brought home cookies from work and stopped by the store on the way home if she knew they were running low on something. She watered Ryder’s plants when he forgot (and he forgot a lot), let Sven sing as loudly as he wanted around the house, and was a better person to Kristoff than he thought he deserved.

Outside of his small circle of friends and family, Kristoff wasn’t used to “nice” for the sake of being nice. He was used to “nice” if someone wanted something from him or “nice” because people were scared of him. He was used to contempt. He was used to betrayal. But Anna was kind and thoughtful and sweet for all of the right reasons. He knew that as he watched the way her eyes lit up when he picked up one of the puppies and held it close to his chest.

“My family used to have a dog that looked like these guys,” Kristoff started suddenly.

Anna looked at him with kind eyes that urged him to continue. 

“He was a good dog. I grew up with him. I don’t know why my parents didn’t get another dog after he died.”

Anna nodded thoughtfully. “My childhood pet was a cat. Poor thing- I used to chase her around with my sister. I thought she was mean, but I’d be pissed too if some toddler was always running after me. We both mellowed out when we got older, and soon she was, like, my best friend. I loved that cat so much.”

“Is that why you wanted to go into this kind of work?” Kristoff asked.

“I think so. That, and...” she hesitated, suddenly looking down toward the ground. Her nose scrunched in concentration. 

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” Kristoff offered, suddenly worried he had said something wrong. 

“No, it’s okay,” she said, offering him an easy smile. “After we—my sister and I—moved away from our parents, that cat was always there for me. She slept with me and cuddled with me when I cried. I kinda realized how beautiful animals can be and how much they can mean to us.” Anna stroked one of the puppies thoughtfully as she continued. “I really love working with animals because...I feel like I’m giving animals a chance to be loved, and a chance to love people back.” She paused for a moment. “Sorry, that’s probably more than you wanted to know.”

“No, don’t be sorry. That’s a really nice story,” Kristoff said, unsure of what else to say.

“Thanks,” Her smile was soft and almost sad, but the look in her eyes swam with appreciation for his kind words. “What about you? Why did you go into construction?”

Kristoff laughed then. “I didn’t really seek out construction work, it just kinda happened. I needed a job out of high school and the pay was good, so I took it, and I’ve been in it ever since.”

Anna nodded. “That’s totally fair. You knew what you wanted and you went after it.”

Kristoff smiled. “Maybe you’re right.”

“I know I’m right. I’m right about everything,” she teased. She got to her feet.

“Wow, your modesty is inspiring,” he said, rising to stand as well and playfully nudging her.

“As much as I love this, I do have to get back to work,” Anna sighed. She seemed disappointed to be leaving him and he found himself feeling the same. “I’ll walk you out though?” She said it like a question.

“Yeah, that would be nice,” he replied. 

He lingered in the lobby, not wanting to leave and wanting to hug her, to tell her how much he enjoyed her company and how he wanted to come back again sometime or maybe watch a movie in the loft tonight or-

“Thanks for my laptop,” she said, placing a hand on his arm and smiling earnestly at him. “And for seeing the puppies with me.”

“Are you kidding me? Thank _ you _ \- those puppies were the highlight of my week.”

Anna laughed. “You can come back anytime and I’ll let you back there.”

Kristoff smiled. He hoped she meant it.

He felt soft and light as he walked out to his car, full of something that he hadn’t felt in a long time. He had the unmistakable feeling of butterflies in his stomach and the lingering feeling of her hand gently resting on his arm. Kristoff shut the door of his car and placed his head on the steering wheel. He was fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, it’s happycap77! I just want to say that generaldisdain and I have had an absolute blast writing this and we’re both so excited to continue working on this story. We love reading all your supportive comments too! Thanks everyone for taking interest in our work; it really means a lot. Get excited for the next couple of chapters ;)


	5. Shower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A reminder that this fic is rated M!!! There may or may not be a little bit of smut in this chapter,,,,

Anna threw her keys onto the table next to the front door as soon as she entered the apartment. Usually, she adored spreading the word about a cause she was passionate about, but today had been absolutely brutal. 

They were running a large dog adoption event at a local park, and while everything had been going well for a while, some lady had her dog out without a leash. Of course, the dog ran over and went ballistic at the sight of so many other dogs. The lady apologized profusely for the inconvenience, but it didn’t change the fact that Anna had to run after a dog and ended up slipping into mud in the process. Not to mention the fact that it was still oppressively hot outside, and she had already been sweating profusely at that point. She was sweaty, sticky, and she smelled distinctly of wet dog, a smell even the most loyal of dog lovers can admit is unpleasant.

She was dying for a shower.

She made her way into her bathroom and promptly undressed, eager to get out of the clothes that were virtually plastered to her body. Over the last month, she had gotten intimately acquainted with the garden Ryder had set up in their shared bathroom. She had even gotten to know each of the plants by the name Ryder gave them. Frederick, one of the more obtrusive plants in the space, brushed against her arm as she undressed, the long tendrils of his leaves jutting into the bathroom from where he sat atop the back of the toilet. 

She locked the door and started the shower, relishing the sound of the steady stream of water and the steam that filled the room moments later. She drew a smiley face in the condensation on the mirror before hopping into the shower- something she’d done since she was a kid.

As soon as she was in the water, she let her mind drift in an attempt to wash away the stresses of the day. She already felt better now that she wasn’t so damn sticky. 

Her mind rested on her living situation. She was only about a month into living in the apartment, and yet, she already felt like she had melded into their little group. She had gone grocery shopping with Ryder just yesterday, and they joked about how detailed and exact Sven had made the shopping list. It wasn’t Anna’s first time going grocery shopping for the apartment, but she consistently found the absurdity of Sven’s lists funny.

“I’m glad you’re here though,” Ryder had said. “Now if we get something wrong there’ll be two of us for him to yell at.” Anna had laughed at that.

Sven had always been extra friendly with her as well, almost protective, in a brotherly sort of way. 

She could tell she was making significant strides with Kristoff, but he still seemed closed off and a bit cold sometimes. One day he would be cracking jokes with her in the kitchen, and the very next he would just brush her aside after she tried to ask him some questions about himself. He was also the only one of the three guys who had never been into her room, save the time he brought her dresser in from her car. She still didn’t really know how to feel about him.

But his body- she knew  _ exactly  _ how to feel about that. 

She hadn’t noticed it at first, but ever so slowly, he had become someone who consumed her thoughts. He had even made his way into a few of her favorite fantasies, including the one she found herself thinking about now.

He would walk into the shower and throw her against the wall without a word, strong arms holding onto her hips as he fucked her. Anna blushed profusely as the thought sent a wave of desire straight to her core. She glanced up at the showerhead, suddenly remembering why she had been so excited about it being detachable in the first place. 

Embarrassment aside, this was her apartment now too. She grabbed the nozzle of the showerhead and brought it down to where she ached for it. She changed the setting so the water condensed into a gentle, pulsing stream, one that stimulated her in all the right places. 

She spread her legs farther, allowing the water to massage her clit. She threw her head back and let out a soft moan as she thought of Kristoff caressing her, touching her, and bringing her to the edge of bliss.

_ So close _ . Her back was pressed up against the cool tile of the shower wall and her thighs shook as she grew nearer and nearer to her peak. A soft cry left her mouth.

Suddenly, the warmth was gone. The water had stopped.

“Fuck!” Anna shouted as she messed with the shower handle a few times and came to the conclusion that the water was not turning back on.

“Is everything okay?” she heard someone faintly call from the living room.

Anna let out a loud huff and wrapped herself up in a towel. “No,” she replied as she exited the bathroom. “The shower stopped working.” 

Kristoff seemingly stopped in his tracks. His gaze shifted downwards and then immediately snapped back up to meet her face. He swallowed thickly. “You can use our shower to finish if you want. I can take a look at it when I get home from work tonight.”

“Oh my god, Kristoff, thank you so much.”

Kristoff murmured something that she didn’t quite catch, and she grabbed her things and hurried to his bathroom so she could chase her high once more. She turned on the water, let it heat up, and stepped in, reaching up to take the showerhead down from its perch. She was practically throbbing with need, her body heating up as she thought about Kristoff using this shower and what it would be like for him to be in here with her now.

“Fuck,” she thought to herself. This showerhead didn’t detach like the one in her bathroom. She guessed she was just going to have to finish up the old fashioned way. 

***

Sometimes, Kristoff forgot Anna was even living with him. Other times, it was impossible to forget. This time it was one of the latter.

Construction was fine work. He didn’t hate it, but he didn’t love it either. He was just grateful to have a decent income and health insurance. Usually, the work was easy-going enough that he could let his mind wander without any dip in productivity. Except today, every time he let his mind wander, Anna popped back into his head. The image of Anna wearing nothing but a towel around her body was seared into his mind. The fact that he had heard her wasn’t helping matters either. Stifled gasps and a pitched moan or two- he wasn’t an idiot. It wasn’t like he could blame her; from what he could hear it seemed like she was doing her best to stay quiet, but the walls were thin and the water flow wasn’t strong enough to really drown out any noise from inside the bathroom. 

Kristoff tried to convince himself that he didn’t like her as much as he knew he did. She was comfortably the sweetest person he had ever met, and the fact that she was so attractive didn’t hurt her appeal either. He had never been so enamored by a girl before, which was why he couldn’t let himself give in to those feelings.

He realized the cruel irony. The more he liked her the more closed off he became. His previous relationship had left him with only the part of himself that made him push people away, whether he wanted to or not. He knew he didn’t want to push Anna away. The last thing he wanted was to shut her out or make her feel unwelcome. He desperately wanted to get to know her better, to sit and listen as she spoke about the things that made her heart sing. He wanted to run his fingers through her hair and kiss each beautiful freckle that dotted her face. But accompanied with all that wishful thinking, there was still that nagging fear, the lingering part of himself that said “she’s going to hurt you just like the last one.” Whether or not it was true, despite the pull of his heart to take a leap of faith, it was the fear in his mind that he fed. 

“Maybe one day,” Kristoff thought to himself as he resumed his work.

***

Kristoff entered the apartment after his long day. He was tired and sweaty and spent. He was ready for a warm shower and a good meal before he turned in for the night.

He headed straight for his bathroom, peeling off his grimy clothes and turning on the shower faucet, letting the water heat up. He looked at himself in the mirror. He looked tired-- dark circles hanging under his eyes and his mop of blonde hair falling in awkward, sweaty strands after a day of hard labor in the sun. He shook his head and hopped into the shower. There was no use overanalyzing something as mundane as a physical appearance. 

Something was different in the shower. He noticed it as soon as he stepped in. It smelled like flowers and springtime. It certainly didn’t smell like him or Sven. Suddenly, it hit him.  _ Anna _ . It smelled like  _ Anna _ . The unmistakable smell of strawberries and cream was lingering from when she had used his shower. The smell was soft and full of whispered promises. His cock immediately stiffened at the realization. The thought of her had plagued him all day, and here she was once again, the smell of her surrounding him and conjuring up an image in his mind of her in her towel. This time, however, she would drop the towel and saunter over to him, swaying her hips. He would hold her breasts and push her up against the wall. He would inhale her deeply until the flowery shampoo and feeling of the summer breeze became a part of him too. He wanted to taste her, to feel her on his lips. 

Kristoff turned the shower to cold and yelped at the sudden rush he felt. His mind was cleared and his cock stopped straining painfully upwards, begging for attention. He was  _ not _ going to fantasize about her-- about his roommate. It just felt wrong. He thought of work instead, of what his day might look like tomorrow. Anything to distract himself from her perky ass and freckled shoulders.

Kristoff stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He began walking over to his room when he heard something. 

“Oh, Kristoff!” Anna called when she heard the door open.

Kristoff noticed her draw in a breath and stop as she regarded his form. He only had a towel around his waist. He figured he wouldn’t run into anyone on his short walk back to his room.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t-” Anna looked away uncomfortably.

“No, it’s fine. I was just headed back to my room.”

“Yeah- I was just wondering if you could still fix our shower tonight? If not that’s totally okay though.”

“I’ll definitely do that tonight. I just have to change and dry off and stuff.”

She still wasn’t looking him in his eyes. Her gaze flickered over the towel hanging around his waist and then flitted back to the floor. “Okay, thanks Kristoff,” she said, finally raising her head to flash him a soft smile. 

Kristoff entered his room, shut the door, and let his towel fall to the floor. He was still somewhat hard, but it wasn’t as painful as it was earlier. He just hoped Anna hadn’t seen him straining against the towel. He laid down on his bed, rolling his shoulders to ease some of his tension. He always did this after a shower. He preferred letting himself air dry and he appreciated the peace and quiet he got for a moment while doing so. 

Before he could stop himself, his hand began lazily stroking his cock. He let out a soft gasp at the contact. He had been holding himself off all day, and while he didn’t want to fantasize about _ her _ … 

Kristoff moaned as she entered his mind, towel dropping to reveal her breasts. Would they be freckled just like her shoulders? He was completely hard now, his motions more deliberate as he gave in to the temptation. Although he did feel a bit weird fantasizing about his roommate, it wasn’t like she would ever find out.

His mind spiraled, and soon he was trying to figure out what she tasted like. Perhaps a sunset, or like salted caramel. He swirled his thumb over the top of his shaft, spreading the thin bead of precum around the head and increasing the speed with which he touched himself. 

He worked his shaft with an eager hand, his head thrown back against the bed and his toes curling as he worked himself with a practiced grip. He reached for a tissue with his free hand and let out a hiss when he came. It didn’t take long, as he’d been worked up all day. Kristoff laid back on his bed and sighed, wondering how in the hell he was supposed to continue living with this girl that he couldn’t get out of his head. 

Kristoff shook his head and stood to get dressed. He had pretty much dried off at that point, and besides, he had a shower to fix. And unless he wanted to be sexually frustrated by a certain someone’s shampoo after every shower, he needed to fix it soon.


	6. For the Record

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryder and Anna have a conversation about Kristoff, and then Kristoff and Anna get a little tipsy, leading to...well.

“I think we make a pretty damn good team,” Ryder boasted.

Ryder and Anna both stepped back from the banner they had spent the better part of the afternoon on. The words “Adoption Day” were written in huge multicolored letters, followed by enough exclamation marks for a short novel. Several large and small illustrations of dogs and cats were dotted around and between the letters; Ryder was particularly proud of the one he drew poking out through the “O” of “Adoption.”

“Yeah, we do,” Anna agreed, holding up her hand for a high-five. Ryder obliged, making a satisfying slap that rang through the apartment’s common area.

“Thank you for helping me with this, Ryder. It really means a lot.”

“It’s no trouble at all. I’m happy to help you with creative stuff.” 

“Yeah, but really. It wouldn’t have looked even half as good if it was just me doing this.”

“Don’t say that, the design was your idea!”

“Yeah, but actually being good at arts and crafts was yours.”

“Agree to disagree, then?”

“Sure, let’s go with that.”

They stood and admired their work for a bit in comfortable silence. 

“It really does look good, though,” Ryder said.

“I can’t wait to show it to Kristoff,” Anna said eagerly. Ryder gave her a sideways look. “...And Sven,” Anna continued. “It’s just that...that Kristoff has visited me at work and Sven hasn’t yet, so...I don’t know, I think he might appreciate it more.”

Ryder turned his head back slowly, then checked the time on his phone. 4:30 PM. He looked back at Anna, and a shadow of a smirk appeared on his face. “Well, it’s a good thing he’ll be home soon.”

Anna shot a puzzled look Ryder’s way. “No, he...he always gets home a few minutes after 6:30 on Fridays.”

Ryder smiled. “Thought so.” He decided to take the scheme one step further. “It’s too bad Sven has to stay at the school late today, though.”

“Oh...yeah,” Anna said absent-mindedly, lost in the hope that Kristoff will show her his adorable, boyish smile when he sees the banner. She almost didn’t notice Sven walk through the door.

“Oh, wow, hi Sven!” Anna spun around to greet him. “I thought you-”

“Can’t talk, must eat,” Sven interrupted and headed straight for the fridge. “Y’all better not have eaten the last slice of pizza. Someone will die if-” He opened the door to find the slice still there in a plastic bag. He offered the two of them a sweet smile. “I never doubted you.”

“Bon appetit,” Ryder said. He turned to Anna, unable to contain his mischievous grin.

“What?” Anna asked, a nervous smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“Oh, nothing,” Ryder answered. “I just really think the shelter will love the banner.” He started to walk away. He paused, as a thought occurred to him. “Hey Sven, can we break into the liquor tonight?”

“Fine,” Sven said, a morsel of chewed pizza erupting from his mouth. “Leave me in peace.”

“Thanks, buddy,” Ryder said, and he walked off.

Anna remained perplexed by their interaction. First, he said Kristoff was coming home early, which she was certain he wasn’t. Then Sven walked through the door seconds after Ryder said he had to stay late. Was he really that unaware of his roommates’ schedules? The people he’d been living with for well over a year now? And why did he say “thought so”? Anna knew he was the most reserved of the four of them, but he seemed to be good friends with the two of them; she imagined he would at least know when they usually get home. Then again, she didn’t know when Sven was off work today--

Then it hit her like a bag of ice. Of course Ryder knew when the two of them were supposed to get home today. He wanted to see if _she_ knew.  _That sneaky little bastard_ , Anna thought. She strode over to Ryder’s door and quickly rapped on it. “Ryder, can we talk?”

The door swung open a few moments later. “Yeah, of course. Come on in.”

She walked right past him, making sure to avoid Carlos the cactus, and sat down on his bed. The instant Ryder closed the door, she started talking.

“Look, Ryder, I don’t know what you think you know about how I feel about Kristoff, or why I knew when he was supposed to get home and not Sven or whatever, but it really felt like you were testing me out there and...well, I didn’t appreciate that.”

“Yeah, I was thinking about that. I’m sorry, I was just trying to have a little fun.”

“Okay. Apology accepted. But still, I want you to know that there’s nothing between Kristoff and me because that would be weird.”

“Anna, it’s-”

“And I really don’t want to make things weird, I mean I just got here—well, I didn’t  _ just  _ get here, but compared to you guys I’ve barely been living here at all and to just show up and start dating one of you would be, like, overstepping boundaries or something.”

“Okay, can I-”

“And also me knowing when he gets home doesn’t prove I’m into him, FYI, it just means I pay attention to people’s schedules, like you always water the bathroom plants every three days in the afternoon.”

“Anna, can I say something?”

“Yes, sorry, go ahead.”

“It’s okay if you’re into Kristoff.”

Anna’s eyebrows shot up before furrowing just above her nose. “I...um-”

“And I’ll let you in on a secret.” He leaned in a bit and spoke in softer tones. “I’m pretty sure Kristoff’s into you too.”

Anna wanted to smile from ear to ear, but she didn’t want to seem overexcited at hearing the news. Still, despite her best efforts, the corners of her mouth lifted ever so slightly upward. “...Oh.”

“Kristoff...he just acts differently around you. I don’t know about Sven, but I’ve certainly noticed that his whole demeanor changes from…” He paused, as though trying to find the right word. “...sulky and...and standoffish to uncharacteristically cheerful. You just have that effect on him. And I’ve never seen him get that way before, even with-” He cut himself off.

“With who?” Anna asked.

“Never mind, it doesn’t matter,” Ryder responded. “What does matter is that you’re bringing out a side of him that we haven’t seen in a while.”

Anna’s face reddened against her will. Did she actually have a chance to realize her fantasies? All of a sudden getting there seemed so easy. She swelled with anticipation.

“...Really?”

“Here’s my advice to you,” Ryder continued. “Show him that it’s working. I’m not going to give you details, but he’s had it rough. Sven and I, we do the best we can, but...to me at least, it seems like you’re exactly the kind of person he needs in his life right now.” 

Every word Ryder said gave Anna a rush. She had no idea she meant that much to Kristoff.  _ That, or he was scheming again,  _ Anna thought. But he sounded sincere in everything that he said. She knew Ryder fairly well at this point, and she knew that he wouldn’t want to embarrass her.

“That, um...yeah, I’ll...I guess I’ll try,” Anna said.

“No pressure, Anna. If you don’t want to, you shouldn’t have to. But I just want to see you and Kristoff be happy, and I really think the best way to do that is for you to be together.”

“No, yeah, that definitely makes sense,” Anna murmured. “We’ll see what happens.”

“I guess we will.”

Anna stood up and turned to leave, but stopped to say one more thing. “Ryder, I’m...I’m actually kinda excited for tonight.” A smile touched her face. 

Ryder laughed and returned her smile. “Me too. Now get outta here,” he teased.

Anna scurried out of Ryder’s room and shut the door behind her. She really was excited for tonight, but the excitement was bogged down by uncertainty. She knew almost for certain that Kristoff was a big softie underneath his stoic exterior, but she didn’t know if it was actually because of her or if it was just because she was getting to know him better. 

_ There’s history you don’t know, Anna, _ she thought to herself.  _ Don’t assume anything.  _

***

“Drink, bitches!” Sven shouted.

Drinking socially wasn’t something that Anma did often, but she was determined to venture beyond her comfort zone. It was already paying off; tonight, she discovered she had a taste for rum and coke.

Anna growled in protest. Sven never told her he was so good at quarters. Of the twenty-five turns they’d taken, he’d landed twelve quarters in the glass that sat in the center of the four of them. Ryder, who was on his team, had scored four times. Kristoff, who was on Anna’s team, had fared slightly better with a score of seven, and Anna had a score of...zero. Not to mention aiming at the glass was getting harder and harder with every swig she took.

Anna tried to stay as sober as possible by remembering how the evening started. She spent almost half an hour trying to pick out an outfit that she hoped Kristoff would think was cute. She settled on a floral-print tube top that exposed her midriff and the freckles on her shoulders, and a pair of denim cutoffs that were the tiniest bit too short. She checked herself out in the mirror and decided she looked hot, but also couldn’t help but feel self-conscious. Was she showing too much skin? Would it seem like she’s trying too hard? Would Kristoff even pay attention to her? What would Sven and Ryder think?

All the questions flew out of her head as she heard the front door slam. She opened her bedroom door to find Kristoff working his boots off of his feet.

“Welcome home, good sir,” Anna jokingly announced in a posh British accent.

“Thanks,” Kristoff responded absentmindedly. “Have you talked to Sven recently? He told me he wanted to get wasted tonight and I don’t think that’s a, um...uh…” His words trailed off as he looked up at Anna. A few more seconds, and he completely forgot what he wanted to say.

Anna relaxed. Her reservations about her outfit dissipated as she smiled and bit her lower lip. “Yeah, it was actually Ryder’s idea. I haven’t gotten drunk with you guys before and I think it would be fun!”

“Uh...yeah,” Kristoff forced out.

“Awesome!” Anna said. She turned around to walk back to her room. She could feel his eyes on her as she walked, but it didn’t seem creepy; rather, she had cast a line and he had taken the bait. “Let us know when you’re ready!”

“Uh...I gotta-” Kristoff was cut off by the slam of Anna’s bedroom door. 

Anna never found out what he was thinking, but it must have been good because they were now sharing the large papasan chair, the curved sides of it encouraging the two occupants to be pressed up against each other. Though Kristoff hadn’t tried as hard with his outfit as she had; he wore a black V-neck tee that was a size too small and, Anna noticed, the same jeans he wore when he helped her with her dresser. 

_ Maybe he did try _ , Anna thought.  _ He does look sexy. _

Kristoff looked at Anna every chance he got, though he tried to be discreet about it. Throughout the entire night his nose was inundated with the scent of her shampoo, the sweet strawberries-and-cream aroma to which he developed a Pavlovian response. His heart lifted and his blood rushed whenever he smelled it.

He watched her turn the quarter over in her fingers, trying to find the right angle, or the right technique, or the right whatever she was looking for to score her first point. 

“Hurry it up, honey,” Sven said.

“Don’t listen to him, Anna, you got this,” Kristoff said. “I believe in you.”

Anna shot him a dirty look that couldn’t contain the smile behind it. “Don’t patronize me,” she said, enunciating clearly in an attempt to keep from slurring her words, mostly effectively.

“I’m not!” Kristoff’s smile broadened. “I really do believe in you!”

Getting a few drinks in him loosened Kristoff up without making him  _ too  _ loopy. He found himself feeling really happy having fun with friends, but mostly being this close to Anna. He couldn’t remember why he never let himself get this close before.

Anna squinted her eyes and curled her tongue up to her nose as she aimed and aimed again, before finally letting the quarter loose. It bounced off the table, spun in the air, seemed to hover there for a second or two...and landed in the cup with a satisfying  _ clink _ .

“FUCK YES!!” Anna shouted as she shot her hands up in the air.

“Ah, Christ, Anna,” Kristoff said as he clapped his hand over his ear. Anna’s elation immediately turned to concern as she turned to lay her hands on Kristoff’s arm.

“Oh my god oh my god oh my god, I’m  _ so  _ sorry, I was just really excited,” Anna said, tripping over the words. “Are you okay? Do you want me to kiss it?”

“Kiss the inside of my ear?” Kristoff laughed, causing Anna to burst into laughter. Her laugh wasn’t reserved or bubbly like the ones Kristoff couldn’t stand; it was loud and irregular, full of snorts and gasps. He loved it.

“Yeah, just limme git in ther-r-re,” Anna giggled, pursing her lips into a tight ring. Anna talking into and breathing on his ear sent a euphoric chill through his body.

“No, no, come on, Anna,” Kristoff said. “Let’s keep playing. Ryder, it’s your turn.”

“Um, uh, I’m actually out of quarters,” Ryder said. “I’m pretty sure that was all twenty-five.”

“Looks like we win!” Sven said. “Victory, Team...uh...Svyder? Ryden? Ren?”

“Aw, fuck you guys,” Kristoff said. “We’ll get you next time, right, Anna?”

“Pfffffft, no we won’t,” Anna said, laughing and flopping over onto Kristoff’s lap.

“Anna, come on,” Kristoff protested, trying to lift her off of him. “God, how are you…” No matter how he tried, she kept falling out of his hands and back onto his lap. “You’re like liquid! Stop!”

“I’m just happy-y-y-y,” Anna said, almost melodically. “I’m so glad I moved here, I love you guys.” She looked up at Kristoff, her eyes half-open and dreamy. “Even you, grumpy man,” she said, pitching her voice down as she spoke.

Kristoff didn’t know what to do. Here was Anna, inebriated and uninhibited, in the cutest outfit he’d ever seen her in, literally throwing herself at him. He knew what he  _ wanted  _ to do, but he didn’t think now was the right time.

“Anna, seriously, you’re drunk.”

“No I’m not!” Anna shouted as she sat up. “Watch! Z, Y, X, uh, V-”

“You couldn’t even make it three letters in!”

“No no no no no hold on hold on hold on, uh, Z, Y, X,  _ W _ ,” she said, pointing a finger at Kristoff. “V, U, T...um…”

“Okay, Anna-”

“ _ S!! _ ” she shouted.

“Alright, we get it,” Kristoff responded. “You’re not that drunk.”

“Hey Sven, wanna try playing Halo drunk?” Ryder asked all of a sudden.

“What? Ryder, we’re-” Sven cut himself off when he turned to look at Ryder’s face. His head was cocked at a slight angle, eyes wide and lips pressed into a fine line. He shot a quick sideways glance at Kristoff and Anna before looking back at Sven.

“Oh. Uh, sure thing. I have to get another drink, though,” Sven answered.

“Okay, great, I’ll get it set up,” Ryder said and scurried off to his room. Sven followed shortly after, an unopened beer can in his hand. They were gone before either Anna or Kristoff had time to respond. 

“Oh, alright, bye guys,” Kristoff said to no one in particular.

For a moment the two of them sat in silence. It was a comfortable silence, just as it usually was with them, but this silence in particular was charged with potential. Anything could happen from this moment, and it all depended on the two of them.

“So…” Anna finally broke the silence, “...what do you wanna do?”

_ Get you out of that adorable outfit,  _ Kristoff thought. “Umm…” is what he said.

“We could...keep drinking, we could watch something, we could-”

“Oh, yeah, what’s that show you’re into right now? ‘Throne Games?’ ‘Throne...Battle?’ ‘Throne…’”

“‘Gilmore Girls?’”

“Yeah, that. We could watch that.” Kristoff started to stand up. “I’ll turn the-”

Anna grabbed his arm. “Kristoff...wait,” she said. He turned to look at her and saw her eyes, wide and heavy with emotion.

Kristoff sat back down. “...Yeah?” 

“I just...I’m sorry if I come off strong sometimes, I know I can be overbearing, and our personalities are so different, I just, I don’t know, I just kept trying to get to know you better and I try to be nice around you, but I’m also loud a lot and I don’t know if you’re okay with that-”

“Anna.”

She looked up at his face. His bright, hazel eyes that bored into her own eyes. His gentle, soft smile that imprinted directly on her heart.  _ Kristoff,  _ she thought. She couldn’t think of anything else.  _ Kristoff. _

He opened his mouth to speak. “It’s oka-”

Before she could stop herself or even realize what she was doing, her mouth was pressed against his. He recoiled, pulling away from her.

“Anna!” he shouted, seemingly upset. In an instant, Anna sobered up.

“Oh my god, I didn’t--I don’t know--I’m so sorry-”

“Stop.” The world froze for the two of them.

This time, Kristoff couldn’t resist.  _ I want this,  _ he convinced himself. He laid his hands on the sides of her face, stroking the softness of her cheek and brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. He leaned in and kissed her. Anna tensed for a second, then relaxed, wrapping her arms around his neck. Pants and moans escaped their mouths as they kissed, tongues moving in to explore. They whispered each other’s names. Hands roamed to unexplored places. They couldn’t stop themselves.

Anna climbed on top of Kristoff, straddling his broad frame with her legs. She could feel the bulge in his pants straining against the denim. She pressed herself up against him and he moaned into her lips. His arms tightened their grip on her. She laid a hand on his arm and guided it down her back until his hand was on her ass, which he took a firm hold of. His mouth and tongue left trails of hot breath and gentle kisses on her neck and cheeks. She threw her head back and shuddered as he worked.

Without warning, Kristoff placed his other hand on Anna’s ass and lifted her into the air. A small cry escaped her lips as she wrapped her legs around his waist and giggled. “I’ve waited so long,” she breathed, before pressing her mouth to his again. Kristoff chuckled as he carried her into his bedroom and shut the door behind them. 

“Put me down,” Anna said, and Kristoff obeyed. 

She wasted no time in pulling her top off, revealing her black strapless bra. Kristoff’s mouth went dry as he marveled at her.

“Take off your shirt,” Anna demanded, the deep, uncharacteristic rumble of her voice breaking him out of his trance.

Kristoff wordlessly complied, revealing his large and slightly chubby, but ultimately finely sculpted form that Anna had been dying to see. She ran eager hands up his sides, placing kisses on his firm chest.

She rushed to undo the button on Kristoff’s pants as he struggled to unlatch her bra. The two worked at each other, hands and fingers feverishly trying to get each other out of their clothes to reveal all they had been fantasizing about. As Anna’s bra fell away to reveal her perky, freckled breasts, a quiet “holy shit” escaped through Kristoff’s lips.

“Do you like them?” Anna asked, a twinge of self-consciousness in her voice.

“I love them,” Kristoff responded as he filled his hands with them. She moaned softly at the contact.

Anna tugged his pants down past his bulge, pulling his underwear with them, revealing his completely hard cock. “Oh my god,” she said. “This is really happening.”

“Should we-” Kristoff started to say.

“Don’t think,” Anna said, and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. Kristoff sucked air through his teeth as she wrapped her hand around his shaft and began stroking it. Kristoff responded by reaching down to her pussy and trailing a finger through her folds. He smiled into her lips as he heard the hitch of her breath when he touched her. She was sopping and eager.

“I need you inside me,” Anna said breathlessly after a moment. She couldn’t wait any longer.

“Turn around,” Kristoff directed. It was Anna’s turn to obey. She turned, braced herself against the wall, and presented herself to him. 

Kristoff couldn’t believe what he was looking at. The freckles dotting her smooth and otherwise flawless skin, her orange hair seeming to glow in the otherwise dimly-lit room, her slim waist, her wide hips, her incredible ass, the lusty expression on her face as she looked back, impatiently awaiting him to enter her. There was no doubt in Kristoff’s mind anymore. She wanted him, and he wanted her.

Tonight, he would give himself to her.

Anna let out a gasp and Kristoff grunted as he slipped his cock inside of her. Anna’s head dropped as she pushed back against his cock, taking his entire length and pressing her ass to his hips. Kristoff threw his head back. 

Kristoff’s rough, strong hands wrapped around Anna’s waist, gripping her tightly. He threw his hips forward and back, pulling her onto him with his hands. His pace was slow at first, but quickly became rapid as his lust grew exponentially stronger. 

Anna reached between her legs with one hand to massage her clit. She felt victorious. This was the culmination of well over a month of waiting and turning hopes into actions. With every one of Kristoff's thrusts, she became more and more pleased with herself.

Kristoff grabbed Anna’s idle arm and pulled, forcing her upright and pressing more of her ass against his pelvis. “Fuck, you feel so good,” Kristoff breathed into her ear.

Anna moaned through a smile as a response to Kristoff. “Pull my hair,” she begged. Her head jerked back as he grabbed a handful of her wavy locks and tugged, forcing a moan out of her. With his other hand he cupped and massaged one of her breasts, pinching and caressing the nipple. Her moans arced and soared as Kristoff’s own moans deepened and lengthened.

Anna threw herself back against him, a satisfying slap ringing out every time their skin made contact. She felt him building up inside her, approaching his peak. The pulsing of his cock within her brought her closer to her own.

“Fuck, Anna, I’m gonna cum,” Kristoff moaned. “Where can I-”

“I’m on the pill. Cum inside me,” Anna said between breaths. “I’m almost there too.”

Anna’s legs began to shake. Kristoff’s vice-like grip grew tighter. Their moans grew more frequent and fiery, full of desire for each other, their unspoken promises becoming fulfilled. Kristoff called out her name and she shuddered against him.

She pressed herself up against Kristoff as much as she was able as she felt him release inside of her, the warm fluid erupting from his cock and filling her. Her walls closed and constricted around him, forcing out every last drop.

They fell in a heap on a pile of unwashed clothes. They were huffing and panting, content with each other, sitting in the glowing aftermath of their orgasms.

“Holy fuck,” Anna said.

“Yeah,” Kristoff responded. “I can’t believe we did that.”

“I can,” Anna said, climbing on top of him to offer a kiss. 

Kristoff chuckled and kissed her back. He couldn’t lie to himself; he was happy. But there was still that speck of doubt, that modicum of guilt. 

_ I’ll worry about it tomorrow, _ he thought.  _ I’m happy now. I don’t want to ruin that. _

They stayed with each other that night. They both remembered how wonderful it was to fall asleep next to someone.


	7. The Aftermath

Anna awoke in the morning. She blinked against the warm sunlight streaming through the window and glanced around the room. For a moment, she was confused about where she found herself, but then she remembered with a start. _His strong hands on her hips. His gentle thrusts against her_. Anna smiled and felt herself wake up a bit at the strong memories from the night before. She rolled over, eager to look at his sleeping face and brush a hand along his cheek, maybe ask him if he wanted to go get breakfast or lunch or whichever meal was most appropriate for what time it was, but the bed next to her was cold.

The sheets were pulled up almost as if no one had even been there at all. The pillow lacked any sort of dent or disturbance. It was like he had been gone for hours. 

Anna stood up and found her clothes from the previous night, throwing them on haphazardly so that she could do what suddenly seemed like a walk of shame back to her room. The guilt immediately left her as she remembered the way his eyes lit up when he saw her in her crop top. She felt like a school girl- all butterflies and laughter bubbling up in her chest.

 _He liked her_.

Anna made her way out of the room, keen on getting to her room as quickly as possible before Sven or Ryder saw her.

“Yessss!”

Anna turned with a start as she heard the cheer as she passed the kitchen.

“It happened!” Sven said with a wide grin, head thrown back in triumph.

Anna ducked her head, but she couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at her lips. “Alright, alright. Leave me alone, you guys,” she teased.

“We’re just happy for you two,” Ryder said.

“And what, you think we just left last night because we got bored or something?” Sven asked, hands on his hips and a proud smirk resting on his face.

“You guys left us alone on purpose?”

“Yup!” Sven replied.

“You two are ridiculous,” Anna said with a sigh.

“It was Sven’s idea!” Ryder called as she made her way into her room.

“Uh huh, sure,” she replied. She shut the door firmly behind her.

How did she get so lucky? Two roommates who supported her unconditionally and one roommate who made her feel so amazing. Her cheeks felt so warm. She could still feel his breath on her neck.

She quickly got dressed and made her way back into the kitchen.

“Hey, have you guys seen Kristoff?”

Sven and Ryder exchanged an incredulous look.

“I thought he was with you,” Sven said.

Anna’s brows knitted together with sudden concern. “No, I woke up and he was gone.”

Ryder offered her a gentle smile and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure he just went out to grab something.”

“Yeah, and sometimes he likes to go for walks in the morning,” Sven offered.

Anna nodded and made her way over to the couch. There was no point in worrying about it. She might as well just relax until he made it home from wherever he was.

***

Kristoff awoke to a stab of regret in his chest. Normally he woke slowly, letting himself ease into the morning light, but not this morning. He sat up with a sudden start, glancing down to the form of the sleeping woman beside him. He shouldn’t have slept with her. It was against his better judgment. She had just been so irresistible last night. But he wasn’t ready. The guilt he felt in this immediate aftermath was overwhelming. The fear that she would wake up and hurt the heart he had already spent time trying to mend was almost too much to bear. He ran through different scenarios in his mind- ones where he was left utterly alone and deeply hurt. 

He was already in too deep. He knew it when he looked at her and saw her for the kindhearted person she was, when he saw the way she approached life with an unmistakable sense of adventure. He knew he was in too deep when he found himself getting used to the sound of her humming in the mornings. He was vulnerable, painfully so, and he couldn’t risk being hurt again. How could he even trust her? He felt so stupid and weak- how easily he gave into his temptations last night was embarrassing. As much as he loved their time spent together, it was the fear of getting too attached that lingered in his mind. 

He watched her sleep for a moment, allowing himself just a second of peace as he looked down at her. She was beautiful. She was like the sun, all bright and shining and warm. So incredibly warm. The gentle rise and fall of her chest and the peaceful expression on her face almost made him forget about the guilt and the fear. Almost.

He couldn’t stay there. He couldn’t bear to see her wake up and reject him or reel him in only to be hurt later down the line. He wasn’t worth her time, and he knew she’d figure it out sooner or later. 

He hastily put on his clothes and left the apartment. He drove to the store just to give himself a reason to be out. He bought a few items, his mind running circles around itself until he felt dizzy. When he got back to the apartment, the sinking feeling still hadn't left his stomach, so he elected to walk around the block. Anything to stay away.

“Dude, where are you?”

Kristoff looked down at his phone and read the message from Sven.

“I went to the store to get some stuff and now I’m just taking a walk,” he typed out in response. 

“Anna’s looking for you,” the next text read.

 _Shit_. 

“You should probably come back so she doesn’t think you hate her or something.”

He knew Sven was right, and yet, there was still that nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach at the thought of going back and seeing her.

Kristoff ran a shaky hand through his hair. She just had to be his roommate.

But Sven was right. He needed to get back and face the mess he had made. 

***

Anna looked up from the TV as she heard the door quickly open and shut. She smiled as soon as she caught sight of the tall figure in the doorway. 

“Kristoff!” she called, getting up from the couch and making her way over to him. “I’m so glad you’re back!” She held her arms outstretched and leaned towards him. She was expecting a hug or maybe even a quick kiss, some sort of affection reminiscent of the night before.

Kristoff quickly ducked out of the way, turning dramatically to back out of the entryway before Anna could make contact with him. 

She immediately drew her arms back into herself, suddenly afraid to move. The air between them felt stiff. His eyes seemed cold and withdrawn, far removed from the warm and bubbly Kristoff she had fallen into last night.

“I’m sorry, I just assumed that-”

“That we were going to be together or something?” he snapped.

“No, no!” Anna raised her hands in protest. “Just, I don’t know, that...” she was searching desperately for the right words. What did she think was going to happen? “I don’t know.” She dropped her head in defeat, focusing her gaze on the floor beneath her.

“It didn’t change anything. We’re just going to pretend that nothing happened. It was a mistake, and we can move on from it.” Kristoff walked away at that. His footsteps seemed so deliberate, so sure. His tone was almost transactional. 

Hot tears pricked at Anna’s eyes as his words sunk in. _A mistake_. Anger bubbled up in her throat.

“Is that it? It was a _mistake_? Is that all you think of me?” Anna stepped towards him. He stopped in front of his room, the room they had shared just the night before, but he didn’t turn around to face her.

“No, that’s not what I said-”

“Then what? You’re just the kind of guy who sleeps with someone and then doesn’t call back?”

“I'm the kind of guy who doesn't assume that sex means anything, there's a difference,” he replied cooly.

“Unbelievable.”

Kristoff turned to face her then. “Look, I didn’t even want to sleep with you!”

“Then why did you?”

“Jesus, I don’t know, Anna! You’re hot and I was drinking and you were all over me!”

“So it’s my fault?”

“God, no, it’s not-”

“I put up with your shitty attitude for a month and a half and then you have the audacity to blame _me_ for something I didn’t even know was a problem?” Kristoff’s mouth opened as if he had some sort of retort, but Anna continued, the pain and disappointment she felt at his clear rejection fueling her anger. “You do realize that we live together, right? That you can’t just ignore me or pretend that nothing happened when it clearly did! And I’m sorry that it didn’t mean anything to you, but you made me think that you actually liked me, and now you’re just treating me like I mean nothing to you!”

A moment of silence passed between them. She felt sadness in his stance, the cold attitude with which he regarded her had fallen just a bit to reveal pain. Anna felt a twinge of guilt pierce through her anger. 

“Sorry I led you on,” he replied. He opened the door to his room and quickly slammed it shut behind him, blocking Anna and the rest of the world out.

Suddenly Anna felt so alone. She had felt so warm and appreciated for a moment, only for it all to crumble around her as a cruel facade. How could she have been so naive? She made her way back to her room. Ryder was no longer in the main room, but Sven was still sitting in the kitchen. She couldn’t stand the sympathetic gaze he threw her way.

“Anna, I-”

“Sorry you had to hear that,” she interrupted. She didn’t want his pity. She didn’t want anything from anyone. She just wanted to be alone. She sank against her closed door and let out a gentle sob. Tucking her knees up against her body, she tried to focus her attention on anything but the reminder of what it felt like to be held by him. She thought of the carpet beneath her, thought of the way her shirt clung to her body- anything to ground herself to the present. 

There was a gentle knock at the door.

“Hey, uh, Anna, can I come in?” Sven’s loud and boisterous voice was unusually hesitant. 

“Not now, Sven.”

“I know you’re upset, but uh, I really think we should talk.”

Anna huffed out a breath. She _did_ want to be alone, but she knew that she shouldn’t turn down support from a friend. And Sven was a friend, or at least she thought he was. 

Anna stood and wiped a few stray tears from her face. She ran her fingers through her hair and opened the door.

She had never seen Sven like this. He was usually loud and confident, constantly exuding brightness and spreading laughter. But here he was- quiet, his brows furrowed in concern as he looked at Anna. His arms were open to her, inviting her in for a hug.

Anna dove into his arms and let a tiny cry out into his shoulder.

Sven rubbed a hand on her back, a comforting gesture that Anna didn’t know she needed.

“I think I ruined everything,” Anna said with a self-deprecating chuckle as she stood back to smile at Sven. 

“You didn’t.”

“Okay, but, you heard what he said to me. He thinks this,” she said, gesturing to herself, “was a mistake.”

“I know, I know, but I promise he doesn’t mean it. He’s just being a massive idiot right now.”

Anna cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Look, what he said was pretty awful, and I’m not excusing any of it, but I just want you to know that it’s not you.”

“What is it then? Because it really seemed like it had a lot to do with me.”

Sven let out a heavy sigh. “It’s not my place to say, so I won’t go into any details, but basically, his last relationship left him with some insecurities that he apparently hasn’t really worked through yet. It was unfair of him to take those out on you, but he likes you. I know he does. And, I don’t know, just, I don’t want you to think that you did anything wrong or that you’re at fault here. Because you’re not.”

“I, I didn’t know about-”

“It’s okay. There’s no way you could have. And, again, it’s not an excuse, it’s just an explanation, I guess.”

“I know, but I feel bad. I shouldn’t have pushed him or yelled at him or-”

“Hey, stop that. You did what you had to do. I’ve known him for a long time. He can be really stupid, and sometimes you just gotta be upfront with him.”

Anna nodded.

“Don’t feel bad,” Sven said in a stern tone, commanding Anna’s eyes back to him. “You didn’t do anything wrong, I promise.”

“Are you sure he doesn’t hate me?”

“He’s comfortable around you. He’s always laughing when you’re around and he looks at you differently. In a good way. You guys really complement each other.”

Anna smiled a bit at that. Sven was right. “He’s a really good friend,” she concurred. 

“And….?”

“It’s not like that.” _Not anymore anyway_ , Anna thought to herself.

“Think on it though, would ya? He’ll come around. I know he will.” Sven placed a hand on Anna’s shoulder and offered her a sympathetic smile.

“Thanks, Sven,” Anna said.

“Don’t mention it.” Sven left her in her room, and although she was alone again, she felt less lonely than before.

***

Kristoff was laying on his bed, arms outstretched and head tilted so that his cheek was flush against his sheets. He thought of Anna lying there next to him, so soft and warm. He wanted to hold her, to touch the smooth expanse of her skin and wake her up with his lips. He shook his head and pressed his hands to his eyes in a pitiful attempt at averting his thoughts. He had made his decision. 

A knock sounded from the door.

“Not in the mood,” Kristoff grumbled.

“Whatever, I’m coming in.”

Kristoff sat up as Sven pushed open the door, a clear scowl bringing out the sturdy line of his jaw and the cool determination on his face.

“What?” Kristoff asked, suddenly frustrated that Sven thought he could just barge into his room. They had been friends since college, freshman roommates and then best friends ever since, so Kristoff had come to expect Sven’s meddling nature. That didn’t mean he had to like it though.

“What is your problem?” Sven stood back and waited, willing Kristoff to be the first to break the silence. He had a habit of bringing answers out of him.

“Okay, I know, I was an asshole.”

“Yeah, and?”

“It was unfair of me to say those things to her.”

“Yep, and?”

“And I need to fix things and apologize.”

“Mmmhmm, _and_?”

“Stop saying ‘and.’”

Sven made his way over to the bed and sat down next to Kristoff. The bed dipped a bit under him. “You need to get your shit together, dude.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Ever since Samantha you’ve been all withdrawn and closed off.”

“That’s how I’ve always been.”

“I know, but you’ve been acting weird even for you. I know she hurt you, I get it, but you gotta stop taking it out on the people around you. Anna’s not out to get you. She really likes you. And I think you like her too. You just have to stop trying to push her away.”

Kristoff put his head in his hands and let out a heavy sigh. 

“I know it’s easier said than done,” Sven continued. “And I know you’re going through a lot. But at least tell her what happened. She deserves to know. Because you really made it seem like she was the problem.”

“Oh, so _I’m_ the problem?”

“Yup.”

Kristoff smiled a bit. “I hate it when you're right,” he chuckled. He leaned back and flopped down on the bed. “Fuck, dude. Samantha isn’t even in my life anymore and she’s still ruining it.”

“We’re here for you, you know that, right?”

“I know.”

“And Anna is too, she just...doesn’t know what happened yet.”

Kristoff nodded and concentrated his gaze up at his ceiling for a moment, suddenly worried that he had pushed Anna away for good.

“I think I ruined everything.”

“You didn’t. Trust me.” Sven laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“She just said the exact same thing to me earlier. You guys are going to be fine.”

“I hope so.” Despite the fear, Kristoff knew that he liked her. And he knew that she liked him too. He just hoped he hadn’t pushed her away for good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise things will go back to being fluffy very very soon!! Thanks for reading!


	8. The Truth and Reconciliation

_ I’m sorry I kind of went off on you. It made me feel really bad and I bet it made you feel bad too so I wanted to apologize. There’s history that I don’t know and I shouldn’t judge you when I don’t know all the facts. If you don’t want to talk to me that’s fine, but I’m not going to pretend like everything’s okay between us. Against my better judgment, I care about you, and I want you to be happy. So if you want to talk, I’m all ears. _

Kristoff clutched the letter that had slid through the space beneath his bedroom door. He didn’t expect Anna to be willing to talk to him so soon. For that matter,  _ he  _ didn’t expect to want to talk to  _ her  _ so soon. Sven’s pep talk as well as an hour alone in his room gave him a genuine desire to shed his cold demeanor. He found he didn’t care much for the person he became since his relationship with Samantha had ended. 

Before he had a chance to stop himself, Kristoff was up on his feet, walking across the apartment and knocking on Anna’s door. He heard a loud sniff from the other side and then footsteps leading up to the door. He heard the lock disengage and then he saw her, eyes red and swollen, clutching a snowman plushie.

_ God, I fucked up,  _ he thought.

“I thought you didn’t like being in here,” Anna said, motioning to her room.

“Well, I decided, fuck that,” Kristoff responded. “Can I come in? I need to tell you something.”

* * *

Kristoff pulled into a parking spot in the lot just outside his apartment complex. He pulled his phone out from his pocket and tapped the “Messages” icon. Right at the very top of the list of conversations was one called “Sammy Sammy Bo-bammy,” a title his girlfriend, Samantha, came up with and one he thought was too adorable not to use. He tapped on the conversation and typed “guess who’s home early <3 come over?”

He noticed she had become more distant and distracted whenever they were together recently. Kristoff guessed that it was because of how often he was working; he wanted to work as many hours as he could so he could afford to take her to the Cayman Islands, a vacation the two of them had talked about taking since they started dating. After noticing her shift in behavior, he decided that it was more important to spend quality time with her.

As he strolled leisurely across the parking lot, he spotted something familiar out of the corner of his eye. It was a car, just like the dozens of others in the lot, but it was the same color as Samantha’s. And the same make, Kristoff noticed. And model. And that license plate number was strangely similar, too. No, it was the  _ exact  _ same number.

_ What’s she doing here in the middle of the afternoon? _ Kristoff thought. He knew she didn’t like his roommates, so she couldn’t be checking in with them. Although he remembered, she had been talking to Brant a lot more often whenever she was over. Brant was his least favorite of his three other roommates, but even so, he was happy she had another reason to be at his place.

He stepped into the elevator, pushed the button for the 4th floor, and leaned back against the wall. A smile spread across his face. This was the first step toward improving his relationship. Tonight, he and Samantha would finally finish that show he could never remember the name of (all he could think of was “Parks and Offices”), then they’d just chill out together, maybe go up to the roof and watch the stars, and if he  _ really  _ played his cards right, possibly even make love. 

Kristoff stepped out through the open doors of the elevator with a confident stride. He had faith in himself and his ability to rescue his relationship. As he walked down the hall, he pulled out his phone again to check for any replies from Samantha. Nothing.

_ No big deal,  _ he thought.  _ Her phone’s probably dead. _

But she usually had a charger with her, and Kristoff’s phone was the same as hers, so he knew there was a charger handy in his apartment.

_ No.  _ Kristoff shook the idea from his mind.  _ She wouldn’t ignore me. Not on purpose, anyway. _

He turned the door handle and opened the door slowly, eager to see the surprise and delight on Samantha’s face when she found out he was home hours before he said he would be. But he didn’t see her. He didn’t see anyone, for that matter; the entire common area of the apartment was empty. Maybe he misremembered her license plate number? Maybe she wasn’t here at all? 

Brant was definitely here, though. He heard a commotion and some faint music from inside his room on the other end of the apartment. Kristoff couldn’t care less what he was doing, just as long as he took out the trash at some point. 

Kristoff knocked on the door to his room. “Sammy? You in here?” No response. He opened the door to a dark, empty room. Now he was getting confused. Was there someone else in this apartment complex she was here to see? He made his way over to Brant’s room to ask him if he’d seen her. A twinge of worry forced his hand through his hair. He knocked on the door to announce his entry, then turned the doorknob.

“Hey Brant, do you know if-”

There was no need to ask him anymore.

There she was, stark naked, her mouth agape and her face drained of color. And there was Brant, just as naked, haphazardly covering himself with the sheets on his bed.

For a fraction of a second, Kristoff wanted to be dead. His heart plummeted. His hands went clammy. He felt numb. 

Samantha grabbed a towel on the floor and wrapped herself in it. The silence was unbearable, but no one had anything to say. In an instant, all Kristoff’s hopes, his plans, his life...it was all gone. Ripped from his mind, an empty void where they once were. 

Samantha’s mouth shuddered like she was going to speak. “Kristoff...it’s..it’s not-”

“Well, I was right about one thing,” Kristoff said. “You were surprised that I’m home early.”

Samantha let out a heavy breath as a look of pity darkened her face. “You have to understand-”

“You’re cheating…” Kristoff said, “...with him? With  _ him? _ ” He turned to look at Brant, who seemed to be trying to obscure himself with his sheets. “With  _ you?! _ ”

“No, Kristoff, don’t get mad at him,” Samantha pleaded.

“I’ll get mad at whoever the fuck I want.”

“Uh, I think I’m gonna go,” Brant muttered.

“No, no, no. You’re staying here and packing your shit. You’re gonna be gone by tomorrow.”

“Kristoff, no,” Samantha said. “He doesn’t deserve to pay for my-”

“Shut up,” Kristoff barked. “Brant. Your shit. Now.”

“Wait, hold on, Kristoff,” Brant said. He stood up, wrapping himself in the towel. “I’m...I can be better, I’ll...when she’s over I’ll stay in my room, okay? Just don’t…” He took tentative steps toward him. He was looking Kristoff in the face, a politeness there that Kristoff felt unable to reciprocate. 

“Get the fuck away from me.”

“Come on, man. Kristoff, I’m your friend.”

Before he could stop himself, Kristoff’s right fist collided with Brant’s face hard enough to shatter a car window. There was a substantial  _ thud  _ of the hand making contact, an unsettling  _ crack  _ of Brant’s nose breaking, and a wet spatter of blood on the wall and floor. Samantha shrieked, terrified, as Brant crumpled on the floor, clutching his face and groaning in pain. Samantha began to cry.

“Kristoff, why?! Why did you do that?! Why did you...you…” Her words were frantic and shaky.

“The next time I leave my room, you both are going to be gone.” Without another word, Kristoff turned around and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

“That was the last time you ever saw them?” Anna asked.

“Yeah, thank God. I don’t know what I’d do if I saw either of them again, in any setting.”

“Wow. That’s good, I guess.” Anna nervously eyed the off-white marks on the wall of her room. “So...underneath that paint is…”

“Is Brant’s blood, yes,” Kristoff finished her sentence.

“Is Brant’s--yeah,” Anna said. Her stomach turned a little. “Did you...mean to punch him that hard?”

“I don’t know, I’d never punched anyone before,” Kristoff said. “I’d never...y’know...felt the need to.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Anna extended her legs and laid her plushie on the bed beside her. She turned to look at Kristoff who was sitting in her desk chair which was turned around to face her bed. “And, I mean, I can’t really blame you. If I could hit my ex that hard, I would.”

“What happened with your ex?”

“Well, it wasn’t as dramatic, but he was a Brant-level asshole, too. I just didn’t realize it until after he dumped me.”

“Wait... _ he  _ dumped  _ you _ ?”

“Is that so hard to believe?”

“No, it’s just…” Kristoff had had enough of being standoffish with Anna. “...why would anyone want to leave you?”

Anna could fight the smile she wanted to show, but she could do nothing to hide the blood rushing to her cheeks. “Well…”

“C’mon, it must be a good story,” Kristoff said, leaning forward to rest his head in his hands. “You don’t have to go into it, but--”

“No it’s fine, I’ll, uh...I’ll try to keep it short.” Anna sucked in air and held the breath. She hesitated to speak, not sure how Kristoff would react, but she knew it was important for her to be as candid as he was.

“About a year ago, I went to get an X-ray done because I had chronic pain in my abdomen. Turns out, it, uh...it was a tumor.” Anna looked up at Kristoff when she said this. His eyebrows were knitted and his eyes darkened.

“Are you okay now?” Kristoff asked.

“Yes, I’m fine. Now hush, I barely started my story,” Anna said with a smile. “Yeah, it was a tumor in my pancreas, a benign one, but still painful and dangerous. Anyway, I go to the surgery—his name’s Hans, my ex I mean, by the way—and the doctor’s like ‘Hey, you might die but you probably won’t,’ and I was like ‘wow, okay, thanks for the panic attack right before this life-saving surgery.’”

“Yeah, that guy really needs to work on his bedside manner.”

“Right? Anyway, the surgery happened and they were able to get the tumor completely removed. And when I woke up, a bunch of friends and family were there to greet me. My sister Elsa and her fianceé Honey were there, my friend Pansy and her boyfriend Gene were there too, a few of my coworkers from my old job also, and they brought me flowers and cards and stuff. It was really sweet, but guess who the  _ one  _ person who wasn’t there was.”

“Oh man, really?”

“Yup- it was Hans. The jerk wouldn’t even make sure I was alive.”

“Wow.”

“Me being a naïve moron, I just assumed he was busy or something.”

“Someone else in that room was probably busy too!”

“Yeah, Elsa actually had to catch a flight. A flight! And Hans couldn’t even see me!”

“I can punch him if you want.”

“Okay, but that’s not even the worst part! The next day, after I’d been recovering for a while, I got a text from him basically saying ‘I can’t be with you if you might die. Also, I’ve been seeing someone, so it’s over.’”

“Oh my god, what an asshole!”

“Yeah, I already don’t have my own parents’ love, why did his have to be so fragile too?”

“Wait, you—what?”

“Oh my god, did I never tell you? When my sister Elsa came out to them, they were furious. I sided with Elsa, so they disowned us both.”

Kristoff was stunned. His mouth fell open. “...Jesus...I’m so sorry, I—”

“No need to apologize,” Anna said. “It sucks, but we’re both better off without them. Just like the two of us…” She alternated pointing to herself and Kristoff. “...are better off without our exes.”

“Yeah, I just…” Kristoff rubbed his face. “...I don’t know, sometimes I think I could’ve been better earlier, when—”

“Okay, I’m gonna stop you right there,” Anna interrupted. “I’m not letting you blame yourself for the end of that relationship. She and Brant were the problem, not you. You weren’t doing anything wrong. She thought she could get away with having your love and Brant’s sex at the same time, and you showed her she couldn’t.”

“I mean...yeah, I guess,” Kristoff conceded. “I just...I feel bad for having hit him so hard, that’s another thing. It’s why I never wanted to come in here, because that paint’s a reminder of...well, everything that happened here, but specifically the punch, the blood, the…” Kristoff took a deep breath before sighing out the last word, “...scream.”

Anna couldn’t deny that it unsettled her, too. She thought the punch was justified, but she was not a violent person; even violence in movies made her uncomfortable. 

But she could see in Kristoff’s eyes that he didn’t want to do something like that ever again. She knew he didn’t regret the action; he regretted the pain.

“Kristoff…” Anna began to say.

“Anna, I’m sorry I’ve been such an asshole. I’m really, truly sorry. I was just—”

“You were protecting yourself, I get it,” Anna interrupted. “Believe me, I do. I just…” She sighed deeply. “...I just wish you hadn’t pushed me away in the process.” 

“Yeah, I just hope you can forgive me for that. And I shouldn't have said all those things to you out there. I'm so sorry.”

“Don’t worry, I accept your apology and I forgive you,” Anna said with a matter-of-fact cadence. “And, y’know, if you want to...pretend that last night never happened, then it never happened. If you want to be just friends, then—”

“Yeah, that’s the tricky thing,” Kristoff butted in. “I, uh...I lied, earlier.”

Anna’s brow furrowed. “...About what?”

“Well…” Kristoff paused, as though he was holding back the words he knew he wanted to say. “...I think sex means a lot.” When Anna’s facial expression didn’t change, he continued. “...Because I like you. Like, a lot.”

Anna’s heart and mind entered a brutal tug-of-war at Kristoff’s admittance. She thought and felt so many different thoughts and feelings all at the same time, all of which manifested in stunned silence.

Anna blinked. “You...really?”

“Um…” Kristoff wasn’t sure what reaction he was expecting from Anna, but it certainly wasn’t what he was faced with at this moment. “...yeah. And, well, that’s why I didn’t want to get close to you, because the last time I let that happen it ended up fucking me over.”

“Yeah…” Anna was still trying to reconcile her own feelings; there was a small part of her that felt hesitant, but there was a much larger part that kept saying  _ he likes me _ over and over.

“But, I mean, we slept together last night, which was great by the way, so either I didn’t learn anything from last time or I just like you too much.”

“Well, I don’t see anything wrong with that second option.” Her thoughts were settling somewhat, landing on the idea that his confession made her happy more than anything else. She flashed him an easy smile that he returned for a moment.

“Yes, definitely, but...I don’t know, I just...I don’t want to have to punch anyone again, y’know?”

“Yeah, I get it.” Anna ran her fingers through her hair. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, I know what it’s like to be cheated on too.”

Kristoff smiled. He felt for her, but there was something comforting about knowing Anna had had similar experiences. “Listen, Anna...as much as I like you, and I think you’re beautiful and funny and sexy and...well, you get the idea. I just can’t get into another relationship right now.”

“Okay,” Anna responded. “And thank you, that’s very flattering. Like I said, if you can’t be anything more than friends with me right now, that’s totally fine. I won’t be upset. I’m just glad you finally came clean to me.”

“Yeah, I am too, actually,” Kristoff agreed. “I feel like, well...I feel like I don’t need to pretend I don’t like you anymore.”

“Yeah, please don’t do that,” Anna said, only half-joking. “So, we’re friends?”

Kristoff smiled. “That sounds good to me.”

“Alright.” Anna returned the smile. She loved seeing Kristoff happy. She hoped she would see his smile a lot more often in the near future, now that he was ditching his aloof attitude. 

“Hey, can I...can I give you a hug? A friend hug?” Anna asked, gingerly extending her arms.

Kristoff took a breath.  _ Start being nice right now,  _ he said to himself. “Sure,” he mumbled. They both stood and wrapped their arms around each other. It was a comforting, safe embrace, one that felt like a resolution to each of their struggles, before and after they met each other. They understood each other better than they knew. They pulled apart and sighed simultaneously. There was no tension or awkwardness, and, Anna noticed, Kristoff seemed to be more at ease in her room.

“So,” Anna said, “I actually have to do some stuff for work that I’ve been putting off.”

“Oh, okay, that’s—yeah, I’ll leave,” Kristoff responded.

“Oh no no, I didn’t mean I  _ want  _ you to leave.”

“Yeah, I—”

“Like I don’t  _ want  _ you to leave, I mean, I like having you around and everything.”

“No, really, it’s—”

“I just have stuff to do and—”

“Anna, it’s  _ fine _ ,” Kristoff said with a chuckle. “I’m not offended.”

“Okay,” Anna said, taking a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll see you.”

“See ya,” Kristoff said, stepping toward the door.

Anna suddenly realized she still felt guilty for some reason. She couldn’t tell exactly why, but her conscience still poked at her back. Was she forgetting something? 

“Kristoff?” Anna called out, hoping she would remember in the time it took for him to turn around.

“Hmm?” he responded, half-turning back to look at her. His bright eyes and soft smile instantly reminded her.

_ I’m never yelling at that adorable face ever again. _

“I’m sorry I snapped at you earlier. I know I said it in my note but I wanted to apologize to you in person too.”

Kristoff laughed. “It’s fine. I would've yelled at me too. And I really should be thanking you—you and Sven both—for pulling my head out of my ass.”

Anna snorted. “Hah! Yeah,” she conceded. Kristoff stepped past the door and shut it behind him.

Anna took a deep breath and recounted all the revelations from that conversation. Kristoff had been cheated on. Another person’s blood was on the wall in her room. Kristoff had feelings for her. He had tried to push her away because of how strong his feelings towards her were. She smiled at that thought. He really was the big softie Sven and Ryder kept saying he is. She already liked Kristoff a lot, but she expected that with all of that out in the open now, he’d become significantly more likable in the near future.


	9. Playing House

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are back to our regularly scheduled fluff and shenanigans!!

“Alright. It’s official.” Anna came out into the kitchen and enunciated her entrance by throwing a drawer handle onto the island where Kristoff, Ryder, and Sven were all sitting. “I need a new dresser. Who wants to go with me to Target to get one?”

Sven pushed his stool back dramatically. “I call shotgun!”

“Okay, I’ll take that as a yes,” Anna chuckled.

“I’ll go too!” Ryder said with a smile.

“Kristoff?” Anna turned to him, wondering if he would join them. 

“Sure, what the hell. I could use a couple of things from there.”

“Alright!” Anna clapped her hands together, suddenly excited to have the whole group with her. She figured it would turn a boring shopping trip into an actual event. “Let’s go!”

After a moment spent gathering up their things (Sven had to change into a different outfit before they left and Ryder insisted on bringing a snack "just in case"), they made their way down to the parking lot. Kristoff decided to drive since his car would be spacious enough to accommodate the four of them and a dresser. Sven got shotgun while Ryder and Anna sat in the back. Ryder handed Anna his phone every once in a while to show her a meme at which Anna would laugh earnestly.

“Oh my god, dude, pick a song!” Kristoff huffed. They’d only been driving for a minute, but Sven had already skipped through about 15 songs. 

“I’m trying to find one to fit the mood!” Sven retorted as he flew past another five songs. 

“Oh, play that Tik Tok song! Say So!” Ryder eagerly suggested.

“Ryder, you know nobody else in this car uses that app,” Sven replied.

“Alright, well you guys are missing out. When we get home I want everyone to see the dance I learned last night and you guys will change your mind,” Ryder asserted.

“Oh my god,” Sven groaned.

Anna smiled at the thought of Ryder learning Tik Tok dances in his room. She’d be lying if she said she had never wanted to try one herself. “I want to see your dance, Ryder! Maybe we could learn one together sometime!” 

Ryder looked at her with a wide grin. “Yes!”

“Anna, don’t tell me you use that godforsaken app too,” Sven said with a resigned sigh.

Anna shrugged. “I do sometimes. I think it’s fun.”

“Doesn’t it steal your data and send it to China or something?” Kristoff chimed in.

“Yeah like every app doesn’t already collect all of your data,” Ryder scoffed, rolling his eyes for effect. He turned up to the front, pointing a finger towards Sven and Kristoff. “You guys are just mad because you’re boomers now. You’re old and you’re boomers and you refuse to accept that the world is moving on without you.”

Anna laughed and slapped a high five with Ryder, smiling at their newfound solidarity in using Tik Tok of all things.

“If being a boomer means that I don’t waste my time watching horny people thrust their hips to music then I will gladly claim that title," Sven said with a confident nod. "Right, Kristoff?” 

“I accepted my fate as a boomer a long time ago,” Kristoff agreed. 

Sven turned around to face the back, his mouth quirked upwards in a mischievous smile. “When we were in college, Kristoff would go around and bang on people’s doors to get them to shut up late at night.”

“What? I needed my sleep. And I know other people were thankful that I did that,” Kristoff said defensively. Anna laughed at the image of a grumpy, sleep-deprived Kristoff roused out of bed and making his way to a room where kids were up late partying. Sometimes he really did give off the energy of an old man. She couldn’t help but find it endearing.

The car came to a halt in the parking lot. “Alright, boomers and zoomers,” Kristoff began, sending a look back to Ryder and Anna on the word ‘zoomers’. “Everyone out. We’re here.”

***

Anna made her way down the furniture aisle, appraising the various dressers and armoires. Nothing piqued her interest like she hoped it would. 

“You okay?” Kristoff asked from behind her. The concerned tone in his voice tugged at her heart. She knew the face she made when she was concentrated oftentimes made her look worried.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just looking.”

“Do you like any of them?”

Anna hummed thoughtfully for a moment as she looked over her limited options. “Not really. I think I might have to go somewhere else. I would’ve loved to go to Ikea, but I think the closest one is like an hour away.”

“I’m not doing anything today if you wanted to go to Ikea. I could drive you. Not if you don’t want that of course, but it might be nice. There's no pressure or anything though-”

“Kristoff,” Anna interrupted his rambling, placing a comforting hand on his arm. “I’d love that.” They shared an easy smile for a moment. 

They were both brought out of their shared comfort as Ryder careened past them in a shopping cart and crashed into the stand next to them. Sven stood at the end of the aisle, a hand over his stomach as he doubled over in laughter. 

“I can’t take you guys anywhere,” Kristoff said with a sigh, his mouth forming a slightly amused smirk nonetheless. 

***

“Can we go to Lowes? I want to get some of those wall-hangy things for my new plant,” Ryder asked as the four of them headed back to the car after their Target run.

Anna was about to nod in agreement, but Sven jumped in before she could say anything.

“Oh, I’m actually not allowed in Lowes.” He said it so nonchalantly. The rest of the group faltered and stopped in their tracks while Sven kept going towards the car, completely unphased.

“Why aren’t you allowed in Lowes?” Anna hesitantly asked. There was a tiny part of her that thought that he was joking, but he had said it so sincerely, as if being banned from a large chain store was a common occurrence.

“Oh, I think I barricaded one of the aisles with plywood? I don’t really remember to be honest. I was high off my ass.”

“Sven, when the fuck was this?” Kristoff asked incredulously.

“It was like the beginning of freshman year of college. We weren’t super close then, so you didn’t go out with me.”

“Jesus Christ,” Kristoff groaned.

“I used to be pretty dumb. But it’s a fun story to tell.”

“Used to be?” Kristoff asked.

Sven rolled his eyes and nudged his friend playfully.

They drove back to the house together. Sven was finally able to settle on a song and danced along in the front seat while Ryder and Anna laughed at Tik Toks in the back. 

Kristoff dropped Ryder and Sven off and waved them goodbye as Anna climbed into the passenger seat and plopped down next to him. 

“I’ll find a dance for us to learn before you get back!” Ryder promised. Anna nodded enthusiastically and gave him a thumbs up while Sven rolled his eyes.

“Thanks again for driving me, Kristoff,” Anna said with an earnest smile as Kristoff pulled out into the street.

“Yeah, it’s no problem,” he replied, gazing at the road ahead, hoping she wouldn't see the subtle blush playing out across his cheeks. “I’m happy to do it.”

***

Kristoff looked over at Anna for a moment, allowing himself to admire the way she gazed out the window with wistful wonder at the passing trees. They had been driving for a good fifteen minutes or so at that point, conversation and comfortable silence passing between them easily. They had almost immediately settled back into friendly coexistence after their fight and subsequent reconciliation. They began watching shows together on the couch at night, and last weekend the four of them had all gone out together. Even on the rare day when they didn’t see each other, they were still a part of each other’s lives in small ways. Kristoff had gotten into the habit of leaving a piece of bread in the toaster for when Anna woke up, and Anna made a point of preheating the oven so it was hot for his dinner when he got home from work. They were thoughtful habits that they had both gotten into. Things were back to normal for them, even surpassing what their normalcy once was. The easy car ride so far had been a reflection of that.

A song came on the radio, and Anna suddenly bolted upright. “Oh my god, this song.”

“What about it?”

“This was one of my breakup songs with Hans.”

“Your breakup song?”

“Yeah, you know, like a song that helps you get through your breakup. You had to have had one.”

“I didn’t!”

“Are you serious? There wasn’t a single song that really spoke to you after your breakup?”

“No, I didn’t even know that was a thing until just now,” Kristoff said with a chuckle, amused by the sudden shock in Anna’s voice.

“Oh my god, I have an entire playlist on my Spotify called ‘Hans Sucks.’”

“Get outta here.”

“No, I’m dead serious- look!” Anna flashed her phone at Kristoff for a brief moment- just long enough for him to catch a glimpse of the playlist’s title: ‘Hans Sucks’.

“Okay, I actually have to hear this.”

Anna laughed and plugged in her phone. The first song that came on was “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”

“Wow, very creative,” Kristoff teased.

Anna swatted at him. “Shush, this song’s amazing.” Anna sang along, bopping her head and singing the lyrics like she was the only one in the car. Kristoff smiled. If he hadn’t been driving he probably would have stared at her the whole time, captivated by the fiery tendrils of her hair that bounced as she sang and the way the light caught in her eyes. He didn’t know the song very well (he wouldn’t call himself a Taylor Swift fan), but her energy was infectious. He found himself bouncing his head and tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. 

There were some more unfamiliar breakup songs that came on, some of which Kristoff found to be surprisingly empowering. 

“You know, I’m starting to get this whole breakup song thing.”

“Right? They make you feel powerful! Like- fuck you, Samantha!”

Kristoff laughed.

They went back and forth on music for a bit, sharing stories about their favorite songs and lyrics.

“I had my first kiss to this song.”

Anna nearly choked. “Apple Bottom Jeans?”

Kristoff chuckled to himself. “It’s called ‘Low’, but yes, unfortunately.” He supposed it did sound a little ridiculous when you said it out loud. “It was at my 8th-grade dance. This song was on when I kissed my date under the bleachers.”

“That’s hilarious. I think my first kiss was after a date in high school? It was gross. He used way too much tongue.”

“Oh yeah, I used to be a terrible kisser. I’d like to think I’m okay now though.”

Anna hummed to herself for a moment. “I’d say you’re more than okay.” 

Kristoff blushed, her words sending a shiver down his spine. He remembered what it felt like to kiss her- the soft way she bit at his bottom lip, the feeling of her hand in his hair. He was suddenly thankful he had the driving to focus on. 

“Sorry, was that too much?” Anna asked. The sudden nervousness in her tone made him rush to reassure her. 

“No, no, you’re fine." He could still sense her doubt. He tore his eyes from the road for a moment to offer her what he hoped would be a reassuring smile. "I promise. I was just caught off guard. Here- play this song next.”

The two continued to exchange songs and stories. Kristoff kept his mind on the driving. If we wasn’t careful, he swore he would crash the car getting lost in the way she moved.

***

Anna felt her arm brush against Kristoff’s as they walked down one of the hallways in Ikea. She had the sudden urge to grab his hand or maybe even cling to his arm as they walked. “ _ He asked for time. He needs space _ ,” Anna reminded herself. Kristoff looked down at her with a smile and those warm, brown eyes. She felt her stomach dip as she let herself get lost in them for a moment. Nope. She couldn’t. She turned to her right and made her way over to a couch, pretending to be enthralled with one of the intricate pillows. 

“That’s pretty,” Kristoff said, motioning to the pillow in her hands.

“Yeah, it’s really cute.”

“Do you want to get it?”

Anna looked at him and cocked an eyebrow.

“For the couch," he clarified.

“I mean, I do, but I don’t know if I have decorating rights in the apartment,” she said with a slight chuckle. She placed the pillow back down, only for Kristoff to pick it back up and hold it close to his chest.

“Sven decorated most of the place. He can stand to have one pillow that we picked out on the couch.”

Anna’s heart swelled. A pillow that they picked out. Together. 

***

“I used to come here all the time when I was little.” Anna’s elbows were perched on the fake counter of one of the many Ikea kitchen displays. She peered at Kristoff from one side of the fake window, his head rested on his hands much like Anna’s was. Kristoff smiled as she spoke, looking at her in a way that radiated warmth. They were on either side of the window, staring at each other through the gap where glass would have been if it was a real kitchen. “There was one near our house, and our mom would take us sometimes on the weekends. My sister and I would run around in the kitchens and play house until our mom finally told us it was time to go. She always got us food on the way out too.”

Kristoff nodded. “That sounds really nice.”

“It was.” 

“Do you miss them?” 

Anna had almost forgotten that she told him that her parents had practically disowned them. “Sometimes, but it’s easy to remind myself that I’m better off without them. And I have Elsa, so I’m okay.”

“I would love to meet her sometime.”

Anna’s heart fluttered at the implication that maybe one day Elsa and Kristoff would meet. Of course she assumed that Elsa would meet her roommates at some point, but the way Kristoff said it made it seem formal- like he would be meeting her in a kind of traditional “boyfriend meets the family” kind of way. Anna quickly shook off the thought before she could let her mind get too carried away. “What about your family? I don’t think I know anything about them.”

“I was adopted when I was 4 by my mom and dad. They’re great,” he started as they resumed their walk through the kitchen section of the Ikea. “My mom is the strongest person I know. And my dad is seriously hilarious. He has all these ridiculous stories from growing up on a farm.”

“They sound incredible,” Anna said with a wistful smile. 

“They are. They would really like you.”

That same feeling bubbled up in her chest- the promise of some sort of future with him and the vision of time spent together as more than just friends. She watched as he walked over to a bed and laid on it, letting out a sigh of contentment. 

“Kristoff,” she hissed. “We’re not supposed to lay on those.”

“No one’s looking,” he countered, patting the spot on the bed next to him. “Come on! It’s really comfy.”

Anna looked at him for a moment, biting her lip and mulling it over in her head. She had always been a stickler for the rules, and the thought of breaking one now, even a small one, made her feel a bit anxious. But the soft twinkle in his eyes and the way he held an arm open in such an inviting way overrode any sort of worry she felt. She climbed up next to him and sunk down into the pillows, careful to leave enough space between the two of them. She turned her head to the side and saw him, all rosy cheeks, brown eyes, and warm smile. She counted the freckles that ran across his nose, ones that she hadn’t noticed before. She could feel his breath tickling her face. They were far enough so that they weren’t touching, but close enough that under any other circumstances, she would’ve expected him to lean in for a kiss, to capture her lips in his and pull her into his chest.

He suddenly bolted upright as if he had been struck by something, his eyes alight with mischief. He grabbed her hand and tugged her off the bed. Anna giggled at the unexpected motion, but followed him along regardless, down the hall and around the corner. She was starting to think that perhaps she would follow him to the edge of the world.

They stopped and Kristoff laughed, taking a moment to catch his breath. “There was one of those Ikea cop people.”

“One of what?” Anna joined him in his laughter.

“You know,” he started, motioning with his hands as if that would help him find the right words. “Those people that work here and walk around to make sure you don’t steal anything or sleep on the beds. I didn’t want to get us in trouble.”

“Oh.” Anna covered her mouth as she giggled. “Well, thanks for saving us then,” she concluded.

Kristoff offered her another smile. It seemed as though he had been smiling a lot more frequently lately. “No problem.”

***

“This is the one,” Anna announced, pointing to a beautiful white dresser with ornate handles on each drawer. 

“I like it,” Kristoff concurred. 

“I think I’m going to paint it and really make it my own, you know? It’ll be a fun project.” 

Kristoff nodded. “I really like that idea.”

“I’m glad.” Anna looked at the large box before her and let out a sigh. “Now for the not so fun part- checking out and getting this thing in the car.”

Kristoff took a step forward and grabbed the box containing the disassembled dresser. He lifted it without hesitation from its slightly elevated position and placed it on the ground by his feet. “Here, can you grab that cart over there?”

Anna didn’t say anything. She always forgot how strong he was. It caught her off guard whenever he reminded her, whether it was by lifting something at home or lifting this Ikea box. Anna was always struck by the defined muscles of his arms and the sturdy width of his shoulders in those moments. She tore her eyes away and ran to go get a cart. 

Kristoff again easily lifted the box onto the wheeled platform and took the lead in guiding it over to the checkout area. 

“So once we finish building this thing are you going to start painting it right away?” Kristoff asked.

Anna’s heart surged.  _ We. _ He wanted to build it with her. “I’ll probably work on it periodically. It’s nice to have ongoing projects like that. You and Ryder and Sven are welcome to paint stuff on it too if you’d like.”

“Oh god. Don’t tell Sven that. You’ll have a million dicks all over your desk before you know it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Anna replied with a laugh. 

Anna paid for her dresser. She would have paid for the decorative pillow too, but Kristoff had insisted on covering it. He loaded the dresser into his car with relative ease, and they hopped in together, exchanging cheerful glances before starting on their hour-long journey back home. This time the ride was more silent, quiet spaces filled with the soft lull of the radio and the feeling of the wheels against the pavement of the road beneath them. Anna thought about how natural it would feel to reach out and hold his hand. But she kept to herself. She was fine with that. She was just happy to have such a good friend.

***

Kristoff knew he liked Anna. It wasn’t hard to admit that much to himself. He knew he liked her almost too much- enough to want to wake up next to her every morning and make her breakfast in bed and kiss her whenever he got the chance- even sleep with her for God’s sake. He thought he wasn’t ready for a relationship, and yet, here he was. 

It seemed like she was keen on knocking down every wall he had tried to put up, exposing him for a kindhearted, sensitive person. A while ago Kristoff would’ve said that that version of himself was dead, buried long ago with his last relationship. But with her, he was starting to see parts of himself emerge that he assumed were long gone. 

She was there for him even when he let his insecurities get the best of him and turn him into a total asshole. He felt unworthy of her, and yet every time he tried to distance himself, there she was, ready to remind him of what it felt like to show your truest self and let people in.

He glanced over at her sleeping form. She had warned him this would happen. She told him that she always got sleepy on car trips. She said that she might end up falling asleep and if she did for him to please wake her up. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Not when she looked so peaceful and so beautiful. Her cheek was smushed up against the glass and he thought he could even see a hint of drool in the corner of her mouth, but she was gorgeous and stunning and she made his heart feel light. 

For the first time, he felt like maybe he had made the wrong decision. Maybe he shouldn’t have said that he needed time to be on his own. Because when he looked at her, suddenly he felt like he didn’t need any time at all. He was ready. There was something about her. Something in the way she made him feel. Free to be himself? Confident? Appreciated? He couldn’t put his finger on it, but it was there, gnawing at him, slowly wearing away at the part of himself that continued to tell him that he was too scared to try again, too scared to open back up when he could just get hurt again. Something told him that she was different, maybe even that she was the one. Maybe he wouldn’t act on it today or tomorrow or this week or the next, but Kristoff knew in his heart that they wouldn’t be just friends for long. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Sorry if this isn't super accurate to what Ikea is like I haven't actually been to one in years lol -generaldisdain)


	10. Scaling and Scrambling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lovely ahtohallan-calling drew a beautiful logo for Four of a Kind that you can find [here!](https://ahtohallan-calling.tumblr.com/post/624547094149120000/its-my-darling-friend-generaldisdainns-birthday)
> 
> Additionally, epbaker drew some INCREDIBLE kristanna artwork for my (generaldisdain's) secret santa gift that was loosely inspired by this fic! You can find that gorgeous fanart [here!](https://epbaker.tumblr.com/post/624864560127639552/happy-kristanna-chirstmas-in-july)
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter! :-)

Kristoff, Anna, Ryder, and Sven were all scrunched together in that order on the sofa, watching Ryder play Breath of the Wild on the TV. 

“So let me get this right,” Kristoff said, “it’s called ‘The Legend of Zelda’ but you’re Link, the guy who has to save Zelda?”

“Yup,” Ryder responded, most of his attention devoted to the game.

“And you’ve never been able to play as Zelda?”

“Nope.”

“Wow, sucks for Link,” Kristoff said. “He does all the hard work and Zelda gets the glory.”

“Well, she’s still a major figure in the games.”

“Yeah, but isn’t she not in some? And Link is in every one?”

“Well, yeah, but—”

“So it should be ‘The Legend of Link,’ right?”

“Well, no, because Link is supposed to be a player avatar. You can name him other things, too, so it wouldn’t make sense if—”

“Wait, you can name him something else in this game but you decided to name him Link?”

“No, you can’t name him something else in  _ this  _ game, because this is the first game with voice actors in it, so—”

“These games have never had  _ voice actors? _ ”

“ _ VETO!! _ ” Sven shouted and shot up from the couch.

“Aw, c’mon!” Anna complained. “I was having fun listening to them bicker!”

A few weeks ago, the four of them came up with the concept of a “veto”. It gave the person who declared it the power to force the other three to stop what they’re doing and do whatever that person wants.

“We are  _ not  _ spending another weekend like this,” Sven declared. “We are going to remind ourselves what  _ real _ nature looks like. We’re going hiking, bitches!”

Sven was immediately met with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

“Ugh, fine,” Kristoff mumbled.

“Yeah, I’m okay with that,” Ryder said.

“Oh my god, that sounds so fun!” Anna squealed. “Are there good hikes around here?”

Sven seemed to begin to answer affirmatively, but the words caught in his throat. He pulled his phone from his pocket and rapidly typed something. A few seconds of silence passed.

“Yeah, of course there are!” Sven said. “Do you think I would use my veto power if I didn’t have a plan? We’re going to...um...” His words trailed off as he began scrolling furiously before suddenly stopping. “...Reinpikk Gorge! It’s got, uh...a big waterfall?”

“I’m sold,” Anna said, standing up. “Let’s go.”

“Alright, this might actually be fun,” Kristoff conceded. “Let’s be ready to go in fifteen minutes.”

* * *

Kristoff knew he was doing the thing he hates again; pretending to be excited about something for a girl. When he was seeing Samantha, he would always try to find time to go to wine tasting events with her, even though he couldn’t stand the people, the atmosphere, or the wine. She loved those things for reasons Kristoff could never really understand. Hiking was another one of those activities; he tried to feign excitement as much as he could for Anna’s sake. 

But if he was being honest with himself, the moment they rolled into the parking lot of the park, he found himself drawn to its natural beauty. He’d done landscaping work on multiple occasions; he had to admit nothing compared to the real thing.

“I mean, just  _ look  _ at that, guys,” Sven said emphatically. “I hope everyone is now realizing just how brilliant of an idea this was, thank you, thank you, tips are not necessary but very much appreciated.”

“Give it a couple hours and a few dozen mosquito bites,” Kristoff said, half-sarcastically.

“You ever heard of bug spray, wise guy?” Sven said.

“I’m just excited to bother you guys about all the different plants,” Ryder chimed in.

Anna was silently giddy, eager to be in nature, happy to be past her problems with Kristoff, and glad to be such close friends with the three of them. As they all climbed out of Sven’s car and prepared for the hike, she could feel her excitement growing. She began to wander away from the car, Sven and Kristoff too caught up in their own argument to notice.

“Uh, Anna?” Ryder called after her. “Where are you going?”

“Oh, is nobody following me?” Anna said, spinning on her heels and noticing Sven and Kristoff still at the car. “Hey, guys! We get it, you’re an old married couple, now come on!”

Kristoff found himself once again getting wrapped up in Anna’s own excitement. He caught up to Anna while Sven did his best to stifle his urge to shout after him. After all, this was his idea, and if Kristoff was only going to be excited because of Anna, then Sven would happily take that.

* * *

“You have no idea where we are, do you?” Kristoff asked Sven.

“Hush, getting lost is half the fun!” Anna said, slapping Kristoff’s arm with the back of her hand.

“So I’ve been seeing a lot of perennial weeds, which means we’re near water,” Ryder said.

“Yeah, obviously we’re near water, Ryder,” Kristoff grumbled. “That’s one of the defining characteristics of a gorge.”

“No, I mean we’re closer to water than we were,” Ryder corrected. “There’s also a higher concentration of evergreens, which is important because--”

“Okay, we get it, Doctor Plant,” Sven teased. “Look, none of y’all had to follow me off the trail, I just wanted to channel my inner Lara Croft.”

Anna imagined Sven in a too-small blue tank top and tiny brown shorts. She was amused as much as she was repulsed by the image. She couldn’t deny that she wanted to be a little adventurous as well; she hadn’t been this immersed in nature since she and Elsa left her parents. She looked to her right and spotted a large boulder, covered in cracks and crags, perfect for climbing. 

“Hey, Kristoff, can you come over here? I need a spotter,” Anna said, already walking off in the direction of the giant rock.

“Wait, Anna, we should--” Kristoff turned to see Sven striding confidently away, Ryder close behind studying the flora. He let out a sigh, but if he was being honest with himself, this was an ideal scenario. Just him and Anna, completely alone, separated from everyone by a veil of nature. Completely unafraid to be himself. He quickly caught up to Anna.

“God, I forgot how fun this is,” Anna remarked, searching for a handhold on the rock face. “Did you ever do anything like this?”

“No, not really,” Kristoff answered absentmindedly, his gaze affixed on Anna’s ponytail fluttering in the gentle breeze.

“I used to go rock climbing all the time,” Anna said as she began to scale the rock, making Kristoff nervous. “I used to…” Anna’s words trailed off as she strained to reach a new handhold, trying to plant her feet where her hands had just been. Kristoff moved under her, his hands upturned, prepared to catch her if she slipped.

“You used to…?” Kristoff said.

“Oh yeah, I used to have a dream of...of climbing Mount Everest, but...then I learned people...regularly die on the way--”

Suddenly, her hand slipped. She shrieked as she fell backwards off the rock. She hung in the air for a second that felt like an eternity. Her heart rose and her stomach dropped, her hands grasped fruitlessly at the air, and her breath caught in her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the impact with the ground.

The impact wasn’t harsh or abrupt, but rather warm and soft, like she collided with a giant teddy bear. She opened her eyes to see herself in an undignified position on Kristoff’s lap, who had collapsed onto his rear end when she fell into him. She looked up at his face just in time to hear him say “Jesus, Anna, are you okay?”

_ Typical,  _ Anna thought. The two of them going to Ikea alone, her falling onto him after being separated from the other two—it’s like the universe was begging them to get together. She pressed her hand to her heart and found that it was racing, threatening to burst out of her chest. It was the combination of exertion, shock, and the sudden contact with Kristoff causing her heart rate to skyrocket.

“Yeah, I’m—I’m fine,” Anna stammered, readjusting herself, but not yet climbing out of Kristoff’s embrace. “I’m glad I asked you to follow me.” She laughed nervously.

“No kidding,” Kristoff said. “How about we just walk from now on?”

“Or you could carry me,” Anna responded, laying one arm around his neck.

Kristoff laughed. “No, no, we’re not doing that,” he said as he stood up, hoisting Anna onto her feet. “Come on, let’s see what’s on the other side of this.”

They started walking parallel to the wall Anna had just tumbled from. They didn’t say anything to each other for a little while, comfortable with just being alone with each other. Then, Kristoff remembered they had never finished their conversation from earlier.

“So, you wanted to climb Mount Everest?”

Anna snorted. “Yeah, but then I started doing research on what it would take to achieve that, and I decided it just wasn’t worth it.” Her eyes wandered, her words and her mind out of sync with each other. “And, y’know, I had other goals, more realistic ones, like starting my own animal shelter, officiating my sister’s wedding, making a perfect crème brûlée, stuff like that. And some of them I’ve already achieved, like making a group of friends on my own, being a better person than my parents are, finding someone I want to spend the rest of…” Her words trailed off. She snapped her head to look at Kristoff. “Am I talking too much? Is any of this TMI? I’m sorry if it is, I just--”

“Anna, you’re totally fine,” Kristoff chuckled. “Honestly it’s inspiring to hear about your goals, considering...well…” Kristoff shrugged, then hunched his shoulders. His eyes pointed at the ground. “...I’ve never really had goals like that.”

“Really?” Anna asked. “You’ve never wanted something so deep in your bones that you would, like, jump into a volcano to get it?”

“No, not really,” Kristoff admitted, almost embarrassed to say, knowing how driven and determined Anna was by contrast. “My parents...well, they settled in a big way. My dad had a promising career as an architect and my mom could have easily sung at the Met if she wanted to, but they both agreed to give up their potential to live much simpler lives.” Kristoff sighed, a sound dripping with regret. “Their decision must have rubbed off on me.”

“Wow, Kristoff,” Anna said, doing her best to sympathize. “I’m really sorry.”

“No need to be,” Kristoff said. “I’m fine.”

Anna knew he wasn’t fine. He looked at his face to see his normally boyish features locked in contemplation, making him appear older than he was.

“Well, you know what, Kristoff?” Anna began with an encouraging tone. “Now’s as good of a time as any. Let’s come up with some goals for you!”

Kristoff smiled a sad smile. “You don’t need to do that for me.”

“You say that like I don’t want to. I do,” she retorted. “Before my mom was a bitch, she was a guidance counselor, and I learned a few things from her.”

Kristoff’s sad smile turned cheerful, despite how he tried to oppress it; the tiny wrinkle on the bridge of his nose betrayed his true feelings. “Alright, why not?”

“Yay!” Anna clapped her hands a few times before gathering herself. “So before we come up with any giant goals, let’s start with small ones. Is there something you’ve wanted to do for a while, but never gotten around to it?”

Kristoff hummed and made a show of scratching his head. “Well...I guess...I’ve always wanted to read the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy.”

“Okay, that’s a great start! Were you a big reader as a kid?”

“Yeah, but ‘Lord of the Rings’ always felt out of reach to me, and by the time I was old enough I--well, the friends I hung out with were way more into sports, so I just kinda stopped reading.”

“Well, I know it’s cliché at this point, but there’s no time like the present!” Anna’s words were bursting with optimism, their infectious energy broadening Kristoff’s smile.

“Yeah, it’s true. I guess that’s why it’s a cliché, right?” They smiled at each other, their eyes sparkling with each other’s light.

Anna blinked, coming out of her daze. “Okay, so what else?” She vaulted over a rock the size of a large dog while Kristoff walked around it. “Any places you want to see? Any skill you want to learn?”

“Oh my god, I used to want to play the accordion!” Kristoff said, his head craning back like the memory struck him in the forehead.

“Really!?” Anna exclaimed, a wave of giddy excitement rushing through her.

“Yeah, I used to be really into Weird Al when I was a little kid. But I ended up getting a guitar one Christmas instead.”

“Okay, so as your guidance counselor, I would tell you to get an accordion for yourself. As your roommate, well, not so much.”

“What about a guitar?”

“A guitar’s fine, a guitar’s nice and quiet.” Anna smiled broadly. “See? You already have two goals: read ‘Lord of the Rings’ and learn guitar! Who knows, you might start a ‘Lord of the Rings’ band in the future!”

“Yeah,” Kristoff said, something else piquing his interest. “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Anna said, suddenly nervous. They stood in silence for a bit before Kristoff turned and walked in the direction of whatever he was hearing.

“Kristoff, wait!” She hurried after him. “We shouldn’t--” she started to say, but then she heard what Kristoff must have been hearing too: a massive volume of water, a sound that could only be coming from a waterfall. She rushed ahead of Kristoff, eager to see what had sold her on the hike in the first place. 

First, she saw the enormous granite wall of the gorge that the water had carved out of the earth. There were shrubs and small trees dotting the surface, but for the most part the rock was bare, providing a stark contrast with the scenery of the rest of the hike. Then she saw the top of the waterfall, the river above it roiling and churning as it tumbled over the edge. Finally, once she reached the lip of the gorge, she looked down at the entirety of the waterfall as a joyful smile spread across her face.

The water leapt and danced over the rocks as it tumbled downward. Mist lifted from the torrent, forming a rainbow that arced from the top of the waterfall to the base of the gorge. At the bottom, the water gathered in a swirling mass and continued deeper into the dense forest, unimpeded and unshaken, just as it had been at the top of the waterfall. 

Kristoff caught up with her and had a similar, albeit subdued, reaction. His eyes were fixed more on Anna than they were on the natural splendor. He loved seeing her this happy and excited. He loved it more than he cared to admit to himself. If this is what it took for her to be as happy as she was, he would take her hiking every day at a different gorge each time, and then cut new gorges directly into the earth once she had seen them all.

He decided at that moment that he wasn’t going to hide his feelings for her anymore. He wanted to be with her.

“Hey, Anna?” Kristoff asked.

“Look at this, Kristoff!” Anna shouted, her voice full of reverence. “It’s so, so beautiful! I can’t believe it!” She giggled and laid a hand on Kristoff’s arm. “I’m really glad we’re seeing this together. It’s just so...so…” She waved her hand in the air, like it would help her find the right word. “...I don’t know, I just like doing things with you! When we’re by ourselves, you and me, I just feel like I can be excited, and I am excited about this waterfall and this hike, and you, and…” Again, she let her words trail off before elaborating further. “Sorry. Was there something you wanted?”

Kristoff stifled his nerves. He knew he fucked up once with her, but he also knew he’d been forgiven; it was part of the reason why it was so easy to fall back in love with her.

“...Can I, um...can I kiss you?”

Anna’s eyes popped. She wasn’t expecting him to say anything like that any time soon. Her reaction made Kristoff even more nervous.

“I mean, uh…” Kristoff stammered. “I--well, I would like to. I may? I mean, ay mi? Uh...may I? You don’t have to, I just, um…” Kristoff decided to stop talking. Fully expecting a rejection at this point, he began to turn away.

Anna didn’t even expect herself to do what she did next. She turned his face back toward her gently with her hand, stood on her tiptoes, and delicately laid her lips on his. Kristoff returned the kiss, a less graceful one, but a kiss all his own. A vulnerable, tender gesture of love.

Anna lowered herself, smiling gently, her lower lip tucked between her teeth. But when she noticed Kristoff’s unsure expression, her own face twisted in concern.

“Was that okay?” she asked.

Kristoff’s eyes darted to the side. His lips were pursed and twisted to the side. Anna was beginning to fear she did something terribly wrong. 

Kristoff inhaled through his mouth, preparing to speak, but then shut it again. He tilted his head, like a puppy trying to figure out where a sound was coming from. Anna was all but mortified at this point. She thought her potential relationship with Kristoff was ending before it began, right before her eyes.

Finally, Kristoff spoke.

“Do you want to go out with me?”

All of Anna’s tension dissipated in an instant.

“Jesus, Kristoff, that was terrifying!” she shouted, slapping him on the arm.

“Oh my--I’m sorry! Really, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to be!” Kristoff apologized.

“I thought you hated me! It looked like you were--oh, yes, by the way, I’d love to--but holy shit, don’t ever do that again.”

Kristoff smiled bigger than he had all day, embarrassed by his ambiguous reaction to the kiss, but also elated that she still had feelings for him. “Okay, okay, I promise. But also, yay!” he said.

Now it was Anna’s turn to look puzzled. “So, what changed? You were asking for space not too long ago.”

Kristoff responded without missing a beat. “I can’t afford to deny my feelings for you anymore.”

Anna blushed and gave Kristoff a quick peck on the cheek. “I won’t if you won’t.”

All of a sudden, Ryder and Sven emerged from the trees behind them.

“Are you guys done?” Sven asked.

Kristoff and Anna both turned to face them. “Have you guys been right behind us the whole time?” Anna asked.

“It was Sven’s idea!” Ryder accused.

“Not that bullshit again,” Sven said to Ryder. “Not the  _ whole  _ time,” he continued, turning back to Kristoff and Anna. He walked right up to the edge of the gorge. “Guys, can you make way for your king, please?” That, or a variation of it, is what Sven would say when he wanted a picture taken of him. Kristoff stepped down behind Ryder and Anna followed him.

“I need a pic of me in nature to balance out my Grindr profile,” Sven said to Kristoff. “That was kinda the whole motivation behind this trip for me.”

“Wait, your what?” Anna asked, like she had just heard a grand revelation.

Sven, Ryder, and Kristoff all slowly turned to look at her, each with the same expression on their face. Complete stunned silence.

Without warning, Ryder did something that was uncharacteristic of him as long as Anna had known him. He burst into hysterical laughter. 

“Anna thought you were straight this whole time!” Ryder said to Sven between fits.

“Well, no one ever told me!” Anna shouted in an effort to defend herself.

“Wait, you actually never knew?” Kristoff asked.

“I don’t know, I just didn’t pick up on it!”

“Anna, don’t even worry about it,” Sven said, opting to be the voice of reason. “They’re just being stupid. But yeah, I’m like, really gay.”

Anna’s face was beet-red, but she smiled through her embarrassment.

“Actually, you know what?” Sven said with a new inflection. “I’m a package deal. Everyone get up here, we’re taking a group selfie!”

Hearing him say that made Anna’s heart lift. She knew she was an integral member of their crew now, but every time someone reiterated that fact, it made her so happy she could burst. She wrapped her arm around Kristoff and led him up to the edge, Ryder following shortly after. Sven pulled out his phone, opened the camera app, and held it at arm’s length, trying to fit everyone on the frame.

“Kristoff, crouch down, Anna, be taller, Ryder, you’re perfect. One, two, three, say bees!”

Kristoff and Anna didn’t have to say anything to smile. They couldn’t stop smiling.


End file.
